UCLA Football: Bruins' Defense Will Be Heavily Tested Against Explosive Indiana Offense Next Week

Indiana was unstoppable during their win on Friday.

Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

In Week 1, UCLA football escaped Hawaii with a narrow 16-13 victory over the Rainbow Warriors. Going up against a team that they were favored to beat by two touchdowns, the Bruins struggled out of the gate and did not lead until they kicked the game-winning field goal in the final minute.

The Bruins' defense kept UCLA in the game, holding the Rainbow Warriors to just two field goals after their opening drive touchdown. Thanks to these efforts, the Bruins were able to muster enough second-half points to pull off the comeback.

Following the Bruins bye week during Week 2, their defense will face a much greater challenge in the Indiana Hoosiers, who are coming off a 77-3 win over Western Illinois.

Indiana annihilated Western Illinois in Week 2. The Hoosiers scored 11 touchdowns during their victory, setting a program record for the most points scored in a game. They recorded 701 total yards, going for over 300 yards in both the passing and run game.

The most total yards in a single game 𝑬𝑽𝑬𝑹 for the cream & crimson. pic.twitter.com/M9snpMsXzH

— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) September 7, 2024

The Hoosiers started fast and never slowed down. They put up 28 points in just the first quarter, and scored touchdowns on each of their first six possessions, good for a 42-3 lead at the half. Indiana's offense added three more touchdowns in the second half, while the defense contributed two pick-sixes to close out the game.

The rushing game proved unstoppable, scoring seven touchdowns on the ground. Justice Ellison led the way on the ground, rushing for 117 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries, an average of 13 yards per carry.

JUSTICE. ELLISON. AGAIN.@JusticeEllison1 | #IUFB | 📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/5lVgLJjL2w

— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) September 7, 2024

The Bruins held Hawaii to just 51 yards on the ground a week ago, but will their run defense prove that effective against a stacked Indiana run offense? UCLA football finished second a season ago in run defense, giving up just 69.6 yards per game on the ground, but they will be tested early at the Rose Bowl against this Indiana team.

Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke was lethally accurate, going 15-17 for 268 yards and two touchdowns. The Bruins defense will want to limit the accuracy of Rourke, who will provide a different test from Hawaii quarterback Brayden Schager a week ago.

Schager was strong against the Bruins during the first half and opening series but also missed some throws later in the game as he played through a lower leg injury. If Rourke repeats his performance from Friday, the Bruins will not have nearly the same cushion.

The Hawaii game did show that even with the losses of defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn and players like Laiatu Latu, Kamari Ramsey, Gabriel Murphy, Grayson Murphy, and Darius Muasau, the Bruins still have talent across the defense. Players including Jay Toia, Devin Aupiu, Oluwafemi Oladejo, Kain Medrano, and K.J. Wallace all made significant plays a week ago.

Doing so against Indiana will be a much more difficult task. If the Bruins can slow down the Hoosiers, it could prove their defense is still "for real."