Michigan’s Nov. 21 trip to Ann Arbor looked like one of the toughest games left on UCLA’s schedule not long ago. It doesn’t have quite the same edge now.
UCLA is still undefeated and still one of the biggest surprises in college football through the midpoint of the season. Bob Chesney has completely changed the picture after the Bruins’ rough start in the Big Ten, and last weekend’s 17-15 win at Oregon only added to the run. UCLA’s defense came up with seven takeaways in Eugene, a wild stat that helped the Bruins stay unbeaten.
But that momentum may be taking a hit. According to a recent report, UCLA has likely lost quarterback Nico Iamaleava for the rest of the season. Iamaleava was hit by Oregon defender Bear Alexander, and the Bruins are now expected to turn to Cal Poly transfer Ty Dieffenbach, who threw nine touchdown passes and nine interceptions last season with the Mustangs.
The timing matters because UCLA’s road ahead isn’t nearly as imposing as it once looked. The Bruins face Wisconsin this weekend, and USC is the only remaining ranked team on the schedule, with that game coming at the end of the season. Still, the visit to Michigan had been circled even before the injury news.
CBS Sports had already projected Michigan to hand UCLA its first loss, with Brad Crawford writing, “A West Coast contender walking into Ann Arbor in late November with its playoff seeding hanging in the balance? If the weather turns ugly and Michigan makes it a street fight like Kyle Whittingham and the program's physical mantra wants, UCLA could have a problem here...And while we're picking UCLA to win its next five games before running into trouble at Michigan,”
For Michigan, the bigger picture is much less encouraging. The Wolverines’ playoff hopes are still technically alive, but with how they’ve played the last two weeks, that path looks remote. The more realistic target is improvement down the stretch and a push to reach nine wins, even that is a tough ask with Indiana, Oregon, UCLA and Ohio State still on the schedule.
That’s why the UCLA matchup no longer feels like a major obstacle in the same way. The Bruins’ defense has forced plenty of turnovers, but it has also been vulnerable, especially when opponents can attack it through the air. Michigan won’t have the luxury of peeking ahead to Ohio State when UCLA comes to the Big House for the Wolverines’ final home game, but the focus can stay narrow.
Wayne Knight gives Michigan a clear point of emphasis. The running back leads the Big Ten with 109 yards per game on the ground, and even with Iamaleava in the lineup, he has been the center of UCLA’s offense. Without the quarterback, Michigan’s defense should be able to key on Knight, and if the Wolverines protect the ball, the challenge looks a lot more manageable than it did before.
In Other News...
Jim Harbaughs College Return Just Became A Michigan Legacy Issue
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For Michigan fans, the bigger issue is what it means for the programs place in the post-Harbaugh era. A show-cause order like this does not just cloud a potential return to college coaching, it effectively shuts the door on it for the length of the sanction if a new school ever wanted to bring him in. So even as Harbaughs name remains tied to the Wolverines recent success, the legacy conversation now includes the reality that one of the most prominent figures in program history is, at least for the foreseeable future, a pro coach with a college future that has been put on ice. [Read more 🡒]
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Penn State arrives next, and with it another chance for Underwood to show the kind of bounce-back the Wolverines need. The bigger concern, though, is whether the coaching staff can put him in better positions to succeed, because the debate around Michigans quarterback play is now colliding with broader questions about the game plan itself. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Suddenly Faces A Defining Home Test Fans Cant Ignore
After a bye week and two straight losses, Michigan is heading into a stretch that can say a lot about where this season is going, starting with Penn State and then a home date that has suddenly taken on a bigger edge. Bryce Underwood is still the starting quarterback as the Wolverines try to steady themselves, but the margin for error is getting thinner with each week.
The Big Ten also announced that Michigan will host Indiana on October 24 at noon ET on FOX, and that matchup now looks far more compelling than it did a month ago. Indiana is unbeaten and ranked No. 5 after beating Nebraska, and the Hoosiers still have Ohio State ahead before arriving in Ann Arbor, so Michigan could be catching one of the league's hottest teams at exactly the wrong time. [Read more 🡒]