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Tim Skipper was just a redshirt freshman then, a speck of a middle linebacker at 5 feet 6.
His Fresno State Bulldogs went on the road and beat No. 18 Air Force on that October day in 1997, knocking off what had been the only 7-0 team in major college football.
“They were rolling,” Skipper, UCLA’s interim coach, said this week, “and we found a way to go get that thing done.”
It’s a memory that sticks with Skipper more than a quarter of a century later because it had been the only nationally ranked team he was part of taking down as a player or interim coach before his then-winless Bruins pulled off a stunner of far greater proportions this month when they upset then-No. 7 Penn State.
What Skipper’s team has a chance to do Saturday might relegate those wins to fine print in his memoir.
If UCLA (3-4 overall, 3-1 Big Ten) topples No. 2 Indiana (7-0, 4-0) in a nationally televised game that starts at 9 a.m. PDT at Memorial Stadium, a team that started the season with four consecutive losses could …
- Remain in the running for the Big Ten title and a College Football Playoff berth.
- Move into the national rankings with a .500 record.
- Vault Skipper into the running for not just the permanent UCLA job but every major college coaching vacancy in the country.
- Commence a bidding war among every major film studio for the rights to the Bruins’ 2025 season.
Does having beaten Penn State to spark a three-game winning streak bolster Skipper’s belief guiding a team that is a 24.5-point underdog against the Hoosiers?
“I don’t really think anything from the past is going to do anything for this game,” Skipper said. “I’m one of those people that thinks every single game has its own history, its own identity, so we’re going to have to go out there, we’re going to have to play Bruin football.”
Here are five things to watch when the Bruins seek their first win over a team this highly ranked since beating No. 2 USC in 2006:
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Which team is the juggernaut?
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Skipper and Indiana counterpart Curt Cignetti traded so many compliments this week, it was as if the coach who heaped the most praise on the other team would gain an advantage.
Said Cignetti: “We’re playing a 3-0 football team.”
Said Skipper: “I am still trying to identify weaknesses. Like, it is crazy how disciplined they are.”
Said Cignetti: “They’re a rejuvenated football team led by a talented quarterback.”
Said Skipper: “They complement each phase of the game so well, it’s not surprising that they’re so good.”
The truth is that both teams are playing some excellent football.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s 21 touchdown passes lead the nation as part of an offense that features star wide receivers Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr. The Hoosiers’ 13-game home winning streak is the longest in program history and ranks third nationally among active streaks.
UCLA’s offense has averaged 33.3 points and 422.3 yards in the three games since Jerry Neuheisel took over as the playcaller.
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The Kevin Coyle effect
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In late September, Kevin Coyle was a senior analyst for a Syracuse defense that had just held Clemson mostly in check during a 34-21 victory.
The next day, he was on a plane to Los Angeles to join UCLA’s coaching staff.
It was Coyle’s allegiance to Skipper, whom he had once coached as Fresno State’s defensive coordinator, that prompted him to give up a comfortable situation for one filled with uncertainty.
“Because of Skip and because of the uniqueness of this challenge,” Coyle said, “I made a decision that, yeah, I’m gonna give it a swing.”
He’s knocked it out of the park.
In the four games since Coyle took over running UCLA’s defense, the Bruins are giving up an average of 115 fewer yards per game while logging five tackles for loss per game — three times their previous average.
One adjustment was expanding the playing rotation to more heavily feature emerging talent such as linebackers Scott Taylor and JuJu Walls.
“I have no preconceived notions — about anything or anybody, or what their past is and what their NIL money is,” Coyle said. “I have no clue. But I like it that way. I just want to coach ball with guys that want to play and want to be coached and are excited about being a part of something special.”
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He’s fine
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There was concern about Nico Iamaleava’s status after the UCLA quarterback suffered a knee injury that forced him to the sideline late in the Bruins’ victory over Maryland.
Even though Iamaleava returned to lead the winning drive, reporters at practice this week spent most of their time analyzing the quarterback’s every move.
What they saw was no different than any other week. Iamaleava moved without a limp or any protective equipment beyond his normal leg sleeve.
His running could present a big challenge for the Hoosiers considering he leads the Bruins with four rushing touchdowns and 360 rushing yards.
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A family affair
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As a kid, Cole Martin would watch his father, Demetrice, coach UCLA’s defensive backs from the sideline before joining him in the locker room after games.
Now they’re part of the same defense.
After transferring from Arizona State, Cole has become a critical part of the Bruins secondary, making 41 tackles and three pass breakups while also converting two fake punts on special teams.
But don’t expect any sappy scenes in public.
“He’s a coach first on the field,” Cole said of his father. “It is not a father-son relationship, it’s more of a coach-player relationship, and it’s been huge, because it elevates my game on a tremendous level.”
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Running success
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UCLA’s run game has picked up considerable momentum lately, averaging 233 yards during its winning streak.
With teammates Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas limited to a combined four carries against Maryland because of injuries, Anthony Frias II ran for a career-high 97 yards, including a 55-yard touchdown.
Woods and Thomas returned to practice early this week, indicating that the Bruins might be back to full strength against the Hoosiers.
The post Can UCLA pull off the stunner of the season? Five things to watch versus Indiana appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
