No. 2 Indiana is hosting UCLA for a Week 9 matchup on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. ET in Bloomington, Indiana.
The Hoosiers are listed as 25.5-point home favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at 52.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction, and best bet for this matchup between these two Big Ten opponents.
UCLA vs. Indiana prediction, preview
UCLA Bruins
The Bruins have had a rollercoaster of a season. After a promising first season under DeShaun Foster, UCLA made a massive acquisition in the offseason. The Bruins added former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava in the transfer portal, hoping he would take their offense to the next level. However, the season was an utter disaster from the jump. They lost to Utah, UNLV, New Mexico and Northwestern to start the season, causing Foster to get fired. UCLA promoted Tim Skipper to interim head coach and Jerry Neuheisel to interim OC. That ignited the team to win three straight games, including a historic upset over Penn State. However, last week showed some signs that this hot streak might be sputtering out even despite beating Maryland on a last-second field goal. This will be a massive test for UCLA against an elite Indiana squad.
Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana is one of the best teams in the country. Last season, Indiana had a very good team and the program was deserving of a playoff spot. However, it was clear that they were not able to meet the level of a team like Ohio State or Notre Dame. This season, the Hoosiers have showed that they have massively upgraded. Not only are they eviscerating their inferior opponents, but they went on the road and beat an Oregon team that was considered one of the best teams in the country. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza is a legitimate top NFL prospect and a Heisman contender. Indiana also improved in the trenches and has a great defense. They can compete with anyone in the country and are serious national title contenders. Curt Cignetti needs to make sure his team continues to stay motivated each and every week to ensure they don’t sabotage themselves.
UCLA vs. Indiana pick, best bet
My best bet for this game is the Indiana team total over 38.5 points. When the Hoosiers turn up the heat, they are unstoppable on offense. Earlier this season, they scored 56 points against Kennesaw State, 73 points against Indiana State and 63 points against Illinois. In what was considered to be a “flat spot” following the win over Oregon, Indiana put up 38 points against Michigan State. After an easy win last week, Indiana is playing its second straight home game with another easy game against Maryland next week.
There is no reason for Indiana not to come out and hang a huge number in this game. The UCLA turnaround has been incredible to watch, but Indiana has several weeks of tape to see what they have been doing differently. The Hoosiers should be well-prepared for this game and put forward a top-tier effort. Indiana ranks fourth in the nation in offensive success rate, while UCLA ranks 132nd in defensive success rate. This is a massive mismatch and Indiana should run up the score.
