UCLA Set for National Spotlight in Indiana Showdown

Skipper Reacts to Big Noon News

UCLA coaches and players learned they'd be taking the prominent stage just moments after surviving a gritty Terrapins team with a game-winning field goal.

What Skipper said:

• “To be honest, what’s hitting me, is that a month ago I was talking to you guys and if you told me we’d be in a Big Noon game, I’d be telling you that you’re just trying to mess with me. That is awesome. It means we’re doing something right. We’ll get ready to go. We’ll leave on Thursday and we’ll play on Saturday. We’re going have a good week of practice, and then we’re going to battle it out.”

Skipper's done a terrific turning things around in Westwood. After starting the season 0-4, the Bruins are winners of three straight and are tied for 2nd in the Big Ten, coming out of Week 8 one of the seven teams with a 3-1 conference record.

UCLA Players Praise Skipper

While all the national attention remains on promoted offensive play-caller Jerry Neuheisel (Skipper couldn't care less about credit), many of his players praised his ability to bring UCLA together.

"I think the main thing that Coach Skip emphasized this week is ‘The standard is the standard,’" Bruins kicker Mateen Bhaghani said. "Each week we’re trying to reset our standard and play the best ball we can in all three phases of ball – offense, defense and special teams. I think the efforts of Coach Skip and Nico [Iamaleava] trying to bring the team together, I think it’s working, and we’re going to keep it rolling.”

Bruins wide receiver Mikey Matthews, who caught a late touchdown off Nico Iamaleava to give UCLA a jolt down the stretch, added, "We all have the same why. We all dealt with adversity at the beginning of the season. We didn’t want to start the season the way we started, and once we started getting the ball rolling, we feel the momentum and we’re just going to keep using that every game and every week.”