Meet The Opponent: Indiana Football Travels To UCLA For Big Ten Opener

Like Indiana, UCLA has a first-year coach and Bruins are hoping to return to winning ways.

UCLA Bruins wide receiver Rico Flores Jr. (1) reacts with defensive back Clint Stephens (14) after Flores Jr. made a touchdown against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during the third quarter of an NCAA college football game against the UCLA Bruins at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. / Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – After two games and a pair of resounding victories, Indiana’s football team feels very sure of itself as it transitions into the Curt Cignetti coaching era.

“Toughness takes us a long way. We keep on being tough. We keep on stacking days. The sky's the limit for us,” Indiana wide receiver Elijah Sarratt said on Tuesday, confident after the Hoosiers’ 2-0 start.

UCLA is also starting over with a new football coach, though unlike the Cignetti hire, the Bruins made their coaching choice from within.

DeShaun Foster – himself a standout running back with the Bruins from 1998-2001 and who was running backs coach for the Bruins – earned the nod to coach his alma mater in February after previous coach Chip Kelly left to join Ohio State’s coaching staff as offensive coordinator.

Unlike Indiana, UCLA’s season debut created as many questions as answers. The Bruins (1-0) survived a 16-13 victory at Hawaii. The Rainbow Warriors led for the majority of the game, but field goals by Mateen Bhaghani in the fourth quarter helped the Bruins escape Honolulu unscathed.

UCLA had a week off to improve what ailed them, and Foster seemed pleased with the progress the Bruins made.

“We practiced with intent. We had some things we wanted to fix and I think that some of the older guys were able to show the younger guys how to practice during a bye week. It’s good we had that kind of mentality,” Foster told the UCLA media on Monday.

UCLA was picked 15th in the preseason Big Ten poll. Indiana was picked 17th, but the Hoosiers are currently favored by 3.5 points according to Fan Duel Sportsbook.

“They’re the next opponent on our schedule. We’re going to play them with a lot of intensity. We respect them, but we’re going to come to play and we’re going to be ready,” UCLA linebacker Ale Kaho said on Tuesday.

Here's what to know about the Bruins:

Key Offensive Players

UCLA Bruins quarterback Ethan Garbers makes a pass against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. / Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

• Quarterback Ethan Garbers is the foundation stone for everything UCLA wants to do offensively.

The Newport Beach, Calif. native has been at UCLA since 2021 after he transferred from Washington. He ascended to the starting role in 2023 and had an efficient season – completing 67.1% of his passes for 1,136 yards and 11 touchdowns against 3 interceptions. Garbers also rushed for 127 yards.

UCLA relied on the redshirt senior during its 16-13 victory over Hawaii. Garbers completed 19 of 38 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown. He provided the bulk of the running attack too with 47 rushing yards.

On a team with a lot of new pieces, the Bruins are relieved their quarterback is not a point of concern.

• Wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant has been Garbers’ most reliable target as both players have taken on prominent roles in the UCLA offense.

The one-time California receiver came to Westwood after a 65-catch season for the Golden Bears in 2022. He had 36 catches for 597 yards in 2023 for the Bruins. A junior, he is one to watch for.

- Wide receiver Rico Flores Jr. is a new target for Garbers. The Notre Dame transfer was a high-level target in the opener against Hawaii. He had 3 catches for 102 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown catch, the only touchdown the Bruins scored against the Rainbow Warriors.

Flores, a sophomore, was missed by the College Football 25 video game roster experts and wasn’t included in the original version of the game. Since the game can be updated via updates, he has since been added.

“Finally. It’s a long time coming. My rating is mediocre, but that’s why I still have the season to improve,” Flores told the UCLA media on Sept. 5.

Key Defensive Players

Hawaii Rainbow Warriors wide receiver Nick Cenacle (3) can’t pull in a catch while being covered by UCLA Bruins defensive back K.J. Wallace (7) during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. / Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

• Nickelback K.J. Wallace was one of the most active UCLA defenders in their game against Hawaii.

The senior-plus co-led UCLA in tackles with seven, but he also defended 4 passes for the Bruins.

The Georgia Tech transfer has a wealth of experience. He started 19 games at nickelback for the Yellow Jackets from 2022-23. Prior to that, Wallace played 17 games over three seasons at Notre Dame.

• Linebacker Carson Schwesinger, started as a walk-on at UCLA, but like James Carpenter from Indiana’s defensive line who also started as a walk-on, Schwesinger’s career has soared.

He demonstrated that against Hawaii as the 6-foot-2 linebacker co-led the Bruins with 7 tackles. He also forced a fumble.

Schwesinger has been getting playing time since 2022, but the game against Hawaii was his career-best. With the Bruins playing in their first-ever Big Ten game, the junior is taking it in-stride.

“You can’t just ignore it. We’re treating it as a normal game. We know the stakes that are with it, but we’re going out there to play hard and play the game we play,” Schwesinger told the UCLA media on Tuesday.

• Strong side linebacker Kain Medrano is one of the few returning Bruins to earn postseason honors in 2023. He was an honorable mention All-Pac 12 linebacker.

He is taking part in his senior-plus season with the Bruins. He has 128 career tackles, including a high of 56 in 2023.

UCLA Notes

UCLA Bruins running back Keegan Jones (22) gets pulled down by the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors linebacker Jalen Smith (3) and defensive back Peter Manuma (1) during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. / Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

• Non-existent running game: If there was one thing that stuck out like a sore thumb during UCLA’s 16-13 victory over Hawaii on Aug. 31, it was the complete lack of a running game from its backfield.

Garbers ran for 47 yards on 7 carries, but the running backs were a total non-factor. Keegan Jones led UCLA backs with 13 rushing yards. TJ Harden had 9 yards on 9 carries.

• Re-tooled offensive line: Perhaps the main reason UCLA struggled to produce a running game is its revamped offensive line.

Of the five starters in UCLA’s last regular season game of 2023, center Josh Carlin, right tackle Garrett DiGiorgio and left guard Spencer Holstege have returned. However, Carlin has switched to center from right guard.

Left tackle Reuben Unije and right guard Alani Makihele are new starters on the line for the Bruins.

• Film watching for Bieniemy: Indiana does its due diligence in film study. With just one game of tape to study for Foster and for UCLA offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Indiana went a bit deeper to get an idea of UCLA’s offensive game plan.

“We have watched some of the (Washington) Commanders film. We don’t have as much film (on UCLA), so we watched the Hawaii game and then some cut-ups of the Commanders,” Indiana defensive end Mikail Kamara said on Tuesday.

Bieniemy was offensive coordinator with the NFL Commanders in 2023. He’s in his second stint at UCLA. He was running back coach with the Bruins from 2003-05.

• No prior history … in football anyway: While Indiana has played fellow Angelinos Southern California four times on the gridiron, the Hoosiers have never played UCLA in football.

The two schools are more famous for having played on the hardwood. The Hoosiers and Bruins have met 12 times, including four matchups in the NCAA Tournament.

Indiana was beaten by UCLA 70-59 in the 1973 Final Four, but then avenged that Final Four defeat in 1976 as the Bruins were beaten 65-51 and the Hoosiers went on to finish the season undefeated.

In 1992, Indiana hammered UCLA 106-79 in the West Regional final to clinch a berth in the Final Four. In 2007, the Bruins evened the NCAA Tournament series with a 54-49 victory in the second round of the tournament.

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