
UCLA will be heading to Bloomington to take on No. 2-ranked Indiana. A team that has been dominating even the most formidable opponents. This game serves as a test for Tim Skipper and Jerry Neuheisel to see how they do against a top team in the nation.
Many of the playmakers need to step up for the Bruins in this game. They are facing an Indiana defense with playmakers at all levels, who have been giving offenses trouble this season.
The leader for the Bruins, as well as the main driving force in UCLA's midseason turnaround, has been Nico Iamaleava. During the Bruins' win streak, Iamaleava has played his best football, except for the game against Maryland, when he turned the ball over three times (two interceptions, one fumble).
Against Indiana, Iamaleava cannot make mistakes, nor rely on Indiana to give the game to him. He needs to play his best football of the season. This will be difficult, given how well Indiana has been at shutting down opponents' offenses this season.
The Bruins' top wide receivers need to have big games this week against Indiana. Titus Mokiao-Atimalala stepped up against Maryland and is hoping to replicate that performance against Indiana. Last week, he caught six passes for 102 yards.
This week, Mokiao-Atimalala will be going up against a very strong Indiana secondary. Most of the attention should be allocated towards Kwazi Gilmer, giving Mokiao-Atimalala ample opportunity to shine.
Jalen Berger has been the main guy in the Bruins ever-changing backfield. Last week against Maryland he carried the ball 19 times for 65 yards. While he wasn't the leading rusher for the Bruins, he definitely played a role in establishing the run game.
His role might be limited this week since Anthony Woods is coming back from injury, as well as the emergence of Anthony Frias II. If he sees the same amount of carries against Maryland he needs to make them count.
The other wide receiver for the Bruins, Kwazi Gilmer, has been relatively quiet in the last few weeks, outside of his good game against Penn State, where he caught five passes for 79 yards and a touchdown. He has combined for six catches for 65 yards in his last two games against Maryland and Michigan State.
Gilmer might be able to have a good game. While he has been quiet lately, we know what he is capable of. Gilmer has shown that he has been able to step up against good teams this season, most notably Penn State. While Penn State's secondary is worse than Indiana's, there is a good chance Gilmer balls out.
This will be the biggest offensive test forJerry Neuheisel and Tim Skipper this season. Win or lose this game will impact how the hiring process for the head coaching job for the Bruins goes this season.
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