Nebraska is in an unpredictable state once again following its 21-17 loss to USC. Quarterback Dylan Raiola is out for the year, and now the Huskers’ offense suddenly becomes a question mark in terms of efficiency. But Nebraska is facing an equally unpredictable team in UCLA.
The Bruins‘ season has been anything but uneventful. From the firing of their head coach following a 0-3 start to victories over Penn State, Michigan State, and Maryland, the team has had its share of highs and lows. UCLA is coming off a bye after being blown out in Indiana two weeks ago. Nebraska, meanwhile, is playing for the sixth straight week and only its fourth road game of the season.
But for true freshman TJ Lateef, this is almost a perfect place for him to be right now. The Compton, California, native makes his first career start at the Rose Bowl against the Bruins after facing down the Trojans for a quarter and a half last week. Though Lateef finished 5-of-7 for seven passing yards against USC, he now returns close to home with a whole week of preparation under his belt.
Lateef saw action against Akron and Houston Christian, but now faces a UCLA defense that can either give offenses headaches or look completely lost at times. The Bruins mainly suffer the latter, with only three games this season in which opponents scored under 20.
But Northwestern thrives on low-scoring games, Maryland’s offense is struggling, and Michigan State turned the ball over in its own territory multiple times against UCLA. This season against power four opponents, UCLA allows just over 186 rushing yards on 37.5 carries and 185 passing yards on just over 18 completions per game.
Indiana and Penn State, especially, found success despite the many coaching changes, striking both on the ground and in the air. For Lateef, he has an opportunity to do some damage in this game. The freshman comes in after throwing for 2,274 yards and 23 touchdowns across 11 games as a senior in high school, completing 71 percent of his passes and averaging just under 207 yards per game.
He also added 292 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns, averaging around 27 yards per game. This extra element could be a key factor, given that UCLA already has its hands full with Emmett Johnson. If Johnson gets going or begins to slow down, Lateef’s feet could open up the offense, making it more unpredictable.
However, even if the offense manages to do damage against the Bruins, the Blackshirts need to do their part. UCLA’s offense has been unpredictable this season. But when it’s moving, it can be dangerous.
Along with the occasional big play from a running back, the Bruins’ main source of offense comes from Nico Iamaleava, who is responsible for 1,856 of UCLA’s 2,753 total yards this season. Across the last four games, he’s averaged 170 passing yards on just under 17 completions and 27.5 throws. He also tallied 184 rushing yards in that stretch, 128 of them coming against Penn State. The Bruins averaged 197 rushing yards on 39 carries across their last four games.
For Nebraska, the run remains a major concern, but the passing game is showing cracks as well. In the last four games, the Huskers allowed an average of 169 rushing yards on just over 33 carries and 174 passing yards on just under 17 completions and just over 27 throws.
Iamaleava can match these numbers, along with one of the Bruins’ running backs, but their last two outings —Maryland and Indiana —showed the offense isn’t unstoppable. Heading into the fourth against Maryland, UCLA trailed 10-7, but penalties, an interception and big throws from Iamaleava helped the Bruins to victory. Indiana, meanwhile, held UCLA to 113 passing yards and 88 rushing yards, starting the game with a sack and then a pick-six.
Iamaleava suffered three sacks and two interceptions against Indiana. Across six power four games, he’s been taken down 17 times. He’s also thrown seven interceptions this season, but four in the last two games. The Bruins also coughed up 31 penalties across the previous four games and three turnovers in each of the last two games.
UCLA did get a week to try to clean up these miscues, and with it welcoming a Nebraska team starting a new quarterback, it holds the advantage. This game will likely come down to the final few drives or whoever makes more mistakes. The Huskers can certainly win this matchup, but if UCLA gets to Lateef, runs the ball efficiently, or even breaks out in the passing game, Nebraska falls.
Score Prediction: UCLA 27, Nebraska 24
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This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: Expert score prediction: Nebraska vs. UCLA
