The second-ranked Hoosiers won’t face a 3-4 UCLA team this week in Bloomington, Indiana, according to Indiana coach Curt Cignetti.
“I mean, we’re playing a 3-0 football team this Saturday at noon,” he said.
It’s true that the Bruins (3-4, 3-1 Big Ten) are a much different team since interim coach Tim Skipper took over last month. A 20-17 home victory over Maryland last week was their third straight victory, a streak that began with a blowout win over then-No. 7 Penn State after Skipper lost his first game in charge.
However, it’s also true that Indiana (7-0, 4-0) is on a different level than the teams UCLA has beaten in recent times. The Hoosiers continue to prove it week after week, climbing to their highest ranking ever after a 38-13 win at Michigan State last week.
The usual suspects were at work for Indiana, led by quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The Cal transfer completed 24 of 28 passes for 332 yards and four touchdowns, focusing primarily on Omar Cooper Jr., who had eight receptions for 115 yards and a score.
The Hoosiers also did what they usually do: stop the run and play a clean game. They allowed just 74 yards rushing and were only flagged for 5 yards once. They haven’t been penalized more than 45 yards in any game this year.
“You want them to play fast. You want them to play physical. You want to be relentless,” Cignetti said of his players. “But you have to be smart. You have to make choices and decisions on the football field, right? We never want to see these penalties increase.”
The only things increasing for Indiana under Cignetti are points and wins. Mendoza is playing at a Heisman Trophy level, completing 73.5% of his passes for 1,755 yards with 21 touchdowns and just two interceptions. The Hoosiers’ average of 43.9 points per game places them tied for fourth in the nation.
This game would have been considered a repeat by most until the sudden rise of the Bruins. Despite this, Indiana is a three-plus touchdown favorite.
However, the play of Tennessee transfer Nico Iamaleava gives UCLA the proverbial puncher’s chance against anyone. Iamaleava threw for 221 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions against Maryland. He led a last-minute drive that resulted in Mateen Bhaghani’s game-winning 23-yard field goal with two seconds remaining.
Skipper said Monday he was unsure of Iamaleava’s status after the quarterback emerged postgame with ice on his knee. However, the interim coach is certain of what his team needs to do at Indiana, regardless of who may or may not play.
“We have to play a clean game and win the situations,” he said. “There will always be critical situations and we have to win them.”
Iamaleava is completing 65.2 percent of his passes for 1,355 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions, and he leads the team in rushing with 360 yards and four scores. Kwazi Gilmer has 30 receptions, one fewer than his total from last year as a freshman.
The Hoosiers earned a 42-13 victory last year in Pasadena, Calif., in the programs’ first-ever meeting.
–Field level media
