After beating Western Illinois in historic fashion, Indiana now has its sights on the Rose Bowl, where it will open up conference play against UCLA.
This one is projected to be a close one, as the spread is less than three point in IU's favor, so here are three keys to make sure that the Hoosiers get it one and win their first conference game of the Curt Cignetti era.
SET THE TONE DEFENSIVELY
Defense wins championships, but it can also win you a week three game against UCLA. While that's just a cliche joke, defense is actually extremely critical to this game, especially to set the tone and let everyone know the Hoosiers came to play.
Maikal Kamara has mentioned on a few occasions that this game is not only important to win, but to show the nation that IU, and specifically the defense, is talented and can be competitive in Big Ten play.
Looking back to the game at hand, Indiana needs to set the tone early on the defensive side, as limiting UCLA's offense for the first half should give the IU offense some breathing room to find its footing, facing a Big Ten defense for the first time this season.
I expect the defense to do exactly that, as Aidan Fisher and Maikal Kamara should step up and make big plays early, just like they've done in the past two game. Although this is on a much bigger stage, primetime in Big Ten play, the defense has played exceptionally so far, so the defense continuing to do so, especially in the first half, is a key to IU winning this game.
LIMIT ETHAN GARBERS' LEGS
This key is another defensive key, as defense is key in this matchup, hopefully I've made that clear by now.
In UCLA's only game so far this season, that being at Hawai'i, it did not have a strong run attack, and thus, not a strong offensive attack. I expect IU to target this weakness, especially from QB Ethan Garbers.
The Bruin running backs were held to just 24 yards rushing for the game, while Garbers had 47, still not an exceptional number, but certainly more impressive compared to his running backs.
This means the defense should try to limit Garbers run attack and try to keep him in the pocket, the pocket where he completed just 19 passes out of 38 attempts.
Limiting his legs will allow Garbers to make mistakes with his arm, as he made several against Hawai'i, throwing two interceptions among his 19 incompletions.
All in all, assuming the UCLA RB's are held to similar numbers to their game against Hawai'i, limiting Ethan Garbers legs will allow the IU defense to have the UCLA offense right where they want them.
Doing so should give IU an edge, possibly leading to a major Hoosier victory.
CONVERT ON BIG PLAYS ON OFFENSE
This key is the first offensive one, put possibly the most important one overall, and that is making big plays on offense.
The offense did a great job of it against Western Illinois and, despite the lowly competition, that's exactly what Hoosier fans hope can translate to the game against UCLA.
Kurtis Rourke threw the ball exceptionally against WIU, a major improvement over his performance against FIU, and big plays were a major reason why.
He connected with Anderson Coby for a 38 yard TD, Elijah Sarratt for a 71 yard TD and completed several other big plays throughout other drives.
These plays are the kind of plays Cignetti mentioned were missing against FIU, while also being something an offense needs from time to time to be effective, Expect Rourke and co. to look and possibly convert on these types of plays against UCLA, as they may be the difference from an effective and ineffective offense.
If the offense can make those big plays against UCLA, especially if the defense plays well, like the first two keys mentioned, I see no way the Bruins could stop the Hoosiers from moving to 1-0 in Big Ten play, 3-0 overall.
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