Michigan State arrives in Week 8 with the kind of profile UCLA can’t afford to overlook: a team trying to spoil a perfect season while the Bruins try to keep rolling and extend the Spartans’ five-game losing streak. If UCLA wants to do that, the game will likely come down to a few key battles that shape both sides of the ball.
The first place to watch is UCLA’s ground game. After getting bottled up against Wisconsin last week, the Bruins are looking for a reset, and the matchup suggests a chance to get it.
Michigan State’s run defense hasn’t held up well, ranking fifth-worst in the Big Ten in rushing yards allowed per game at 140.7. That gives UCLA’s “three-headed monster” a clear opportunity to get back on track and produce the way it has at its best.
On the other side, Michigan State’s best path to an upset may be through pressure. Dieffenbach has looked composed overall, but he has shown a tendency to turn a manageable sack into a much bigger loss by drifting backward and trying to extend the play.
That hasn’t burned UCLA yet, but it is the one crack the Spartans may be able to pry open. In both games he has played, Dieffenbach has taken a deeper sack while trying to escape.
He hasn’t faced real adversity or been forced to play from a significant deficit, and that’s exactly the kind of test Michigan State would like to create.
Eli Coenen has been the Spartans’ most dangerous pass rusher, and his 3.5 sacks lead the team. If he can get after Dieffenbach consistently, Michigan State has a real chance to make this matchup uncomfortable for UCLA.
The third swing factor is Jaziun Patterson. Since Cam Edwards went down with a season-ending injury, Patterson has become the center of the Spartans’ offense.
He’s responded with six total touchdowns this season and had a four-touchdown game in the loss to Illinois two weeks ago. If UCLA can slow him down, that puts even more strain on a passing game that has been underwhelming.
Patterson was listed as questionable on the initial injury report, so Michigan State could also be facing this game without its most productive offensive weapon.
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Oregon Suddenly Faces A Costly UCLA Recruiting Battle
Oregons win over Nebraska gave the Ducks a timely boost on the recruiting trail, the kind of result that can help reinforce momentum with prospects watching closely. But on the West Coast, UCLA has quickly become a program Oregon has to deal with head-on, especially after the Bruins beat the Ducks and kept pressing for recruits the Ducks would like to lock up.
Linebacker commit Toa Satele is set to visit UCLA, adding another layer to a battle that already has Oregon working to hold its ground. Quarterback recruit Josiah Boyd is also nearing a decision, with his timeline moved up to Oct. 24, and the Ducks are still in the mix alongside UCLA and Kentucky as they try to land a high-profile passer in a tougher recruiting landscape. [Read more 🡒]
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For a program looking to build momentum heading into the new season, that kind of debut matters. UCLA has plenty to sort out before the games count, but Kusturicas first showing offered a glimpse of a player who could become a major part of the conversation much sooner than expected, and the excitement around him is already stretching well beyond the usual freshman hype. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs Identity Suddenly Feels Like A Real Stretch Run Concern
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The bigger concern now is whether UCLA can clean up the details quickly enough to keep that approach humming in November. Kennedy has stressed the need for better execution, and the timing matters with Michigan State next on the schedule, a matchup that could help the Bruins reestablish their ground game if they can take advantage of the opening in front of them. [Read more 🡒]