Surging UCLA seeks first conference home win hosting potent Iowa in Big Ten tilt
Iowa (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten) at UCLA (3-5, 2-4), Friday, 9 p.m. EST (Fox)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Iowa by 6.
Series record: UCLA leads 7-2.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
The Bruins have revived what looked to be a lost season with consecutive wins, beating Nebraska 27-20 on the road. Now, first-year head coach DeShaun Foster will try to pick up a first home victory in Big Ten play in four tries. The Hawkeyes are going for a third straight win and still have a shot at a fourth 10-win season since 2019.
KEY MATCHUP
Iowa’s pass defense vs. UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers. The Hawkeyes’ defense has buckled down against the pass the last two games, holding Northwestern and Wisconsin to a combined 257 yards and one touchdown through the air and intercepting four passes. The Bruins’ short passing game bothered Nebraska in the first half last week and produced five plays of 15-plus yards, and Garbers was able to go over the top for a 48-yard touchdown pass.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Iowa: QB Brendan Sullivan is in line to make his second start since replacing Cade McNamara and first on the road. The Northwestern transfer threw for 93 yards and a touchdown and ran nine times for 58 yards and a TD against Wisconsin. His rushing total was highest by an Iowa QB since 2015.
UCLA: WR Kwazi Gilmer has flashed big-play ability as a freshman, getting his first college touchdown on a 48-yard grab against the Cornhuskers. He has four receptions of 25 yards or more, and Gilmer’s 213 yards is most among Bruins wide receivers.
FACTS & FIGURES
This is the teams’ first meeting since the 1986 Rose Bowl, a 45-28 UCLA win. … The Hawkeyes have scored at least 40 points in four games, most since they had that many in four games in 2017. … Iowa has outscored its opponents 42-0 in the third quarter over the past two games. … The Hawkeyes’ 329 yards rushing against Wisconsin were their most against a Big Ten opponent since they had 365 against Purdue in 2016. They’ve had seven 200-yard rushing games this season … Garbers has UCLA’s two longest runs of the season. He had a 57-yard scamper at Nebraska after picking up a 49-yard rush against Rutgers. … The Bruins have maintained a tenacious run defense, allowing 100.4 yards on the ground per game.
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