Plucky UCLA runs out of gas during blowout loss at No. 2 Indiana

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — On UCLA’s first offensive play, quarterback Nico Iamaleva found himself swarmed by a pack of defenders for a sack.

On the next play, Iamaleava faced pressure again before throwing a pass that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown.

No. 2 Indiana 55, UCLA 6, end of game

UCLA started on the Bruins’ 28.

Nico Iamaleava passed for four yards. Anthony Frias II ran for eight yards. Frias ran for another 12 yards. Iamaleava passe to Kyle Miller for five yards before the two-minute timeout was triggered.

Frias ran for a loss of one yard UCLA was called for a false start. On third-and-11 at the Indiana 45 and 1:17 remaining, the Bruins called timeout.

Iamaleava passed to Frias for five yards. On fourth-and-six at the Indiana 40, Iamaleava spun out of trouble and tossed the ball out of bounds.

Indiana quarterback Alberto Mendoza took a knee to run out the clock.

No. 2 Indiana 55, UCLA 6, 4:20 left in the fourth quarter

UCLA started on its 25 after the touchback.

Jaivian Thomas ran for one yard.

Nico Iamaleava tossed an interception, with the pass intended for Kwazi Gilmer easily picked off by Devan Boykin.

Indiana took over at the Bruins’ 37.

Khobie Martin ran for one yard. Alberto Mendoza passe for four yards and ran for eightmore.

Martin ran for three yards, five yards, three yards and two yards.

Indiana was called for illegal formation before Solomon Vanhorse ran for two yards to the UCLA 14. On third-and-11 on the UCLA 14, Mendoza’s pass was intercepted by Key Lawrence and returned 27 yards to the Bruins’ 28.

No. 2 Indiana 55, UCLA 6, 11:11 left in the fourth quarter

Indiana starts on its 25.

Alberto Mendoza, the Indiana backup quarterback and younger brother of the starter, ran for one yard before time expired in the third quarter.

Mendoza tossed an incomplete pass before connecting on a 22-yard pass. Khobie Martin ran for three yards. Mendoza passed for 14 yards and for another five yards, moving the ball to the Bruins’ 30.

Mendoza tossed an incomplete pass behind his target that was nearly intercepted. Mendoza scrambled for 26 yards. Kaelon Black ran no gain.

Mendoza ran for a four-yard touchdown. Indiana hit the extra point.

No. 2 Indiana 49, UCLA 6, 23 seconds left in the third quarter

UCLA starts on its 25 after the touchback.

Nico Iamaleava passes to Rico Flores Jr. for eight yards. Iamaleava tosses an incomplete pass intended for Mikey Matthews. Jalen Berger ran fo on yard. Iamaleava passed for 18 yards to Flores. Iamaleava tossed an incomplete pass intended for Kwazi Gilmer before scrambling for 19 yards.

Iamaleava’s pass intended for Matthews was incomplete, but Indiana was called for hands to the face, which was declined, and pass interference, which was accepted for a 15 yard UCLA gain.

On first down at the Indiana 14, Jaivian Thomas ran for three yards. Iamaleava tossed two incomplete passes intended for Matthews and Flores. On fourth down, Mateen Bhaghani hit a 30-yard field goal.

No. 2 Indiana 49, UCLA 3, 4:13 left in the third quarter

The UCLA defense has been able to put some pressure on Indiana, but the Bruins are struggling to contain them for an entire drive and it isn’t getting any easier as the UCLA offense spends little time on the field.

Indiana started on its 26.

Khobie Martin ran for six yards and then for no gain. Fernando Mendoza ran for four yards and tossed a pass for a loss of one yard. Martin ran for three yards before Mendoza connected with E.J. Williams Jr. for a 62-yard touchdown.

Indiana hit the extra point to pad its lead.

No. 2 Indiana 42, UCLA 3, 7:47 left in the third quarter

UCLA starts on its 25 after the touchback.

Nico Iamaleava passed to Nico Flores Jr. for 11 yards. Iamaleava tossed an incomplete pass intended for Titus Mokiao-Atimalala. Iamaleavea passed to Javian Thomas for five yards. Iamaleava tossed an incomplete pass intended for Hundson Habermehl.

UCLA punted and it was returned to the Indiana 26.

No. 2 Indiana 42, UCLA 3, 9:13 left in the third quarter

Indiana started on its 25 after the touchback.

Roman Hemby ran for three yards and another two yards. Fernando Mendoza passed for six yards.

Mendoza ran for three, passed for three yards and passed for another three yards. On fourth-and-one at the Indiana 45, the Hoosiers called timeout.

Kaelon Black ran up the middle for 28 yards and a first down at the UCLA 27. Black ran for three yards. Hemby ran for four yards. Mendoza rolled out and scrambled out of pressure for a 20-yard touchdown. UCLA was called for holding on the play, but Indiana declined the penalty.

Indiana hit the extra point.

No. 2 Indiana 35, UCLA 3, start of third quarter

UCLA kicked off to start the third quarter

No. 2 Indiana 35, UCLA 3, end of second quarter

UCLA returned the kickoff 14 yards to the UCLA 29.

Anthony Frias II ran for three yards before time expired in the second quarter.

No. 2 Indiana 35, UCLA 3, 13 seconds left in the second quarter

Indiana starts on its 25 after a kickoff return.

Roman Hemby ran for five yards. Hemby ran for 14 yards. Fernando Mendoza passed for five yards. Mendoza’s next pass was incomplete, but UCLA’s Kechuan Bennett was offsides.

On first down at the UCLA 46, Hemby ran for three yards and Indiana called timeout. Mendoza passed for 11 yards and another 10 yards. On first-and-goal at the UCLA 7, Mendoza’s pass was incomplete but UCLA was called for pass interference and the ball was moved to the 2. Hemby ran for no gain and Indiana called timeout. Mendoza was under pressure but connected with E.J. Williams Jr. for a two-yard touchdown and Indiana hit the extra point.

No. 2 Indiana 28, UCLA 3, 1:55 left in the second quarter

UCLA started on its 38.

Jalen Berger ran for five yards and then another 14 yards. Nico Iamaleava passed to Mikey Matthews for 18 yards. Iamaleava passed for six yards, but Matthews was called for unsportsmanlike conduct.

On second-and-19, Jaivian Thomas ran for four yards and Anthony Frias II ran for another four yards.

On fourth-and-11 on the Indiana 26, the two-minute timeout was triggered. UCLA’s Mateen Bhaghani hit a 44-yard field goal.

No. 2 Indiana 28, UCLA 0, 5:09 left in the second quarter

Indiana stared on its 12.

Kaelon Blakc ran for five yards and another yard. Fernando Mendoza tossed an incomplete pass.

Indiana punted for the first time and Mikey Matthews returned it six yards to the UCLA 38.

No. 2 Indiana 28, UCLA 0, 6:37 left in the second quarter

UCLA started on its 25 after a touchback.

Indiana was called for unsportsmanlike conduct, moving the ball to the Bruins’ 40.

Nico Iamaleava scrambled for 15 yards. Iamaleava’s pass intended for Kwazi Gilmer was incomplete. Iamaleava passed to Anthony Frias II for four yards. On third-and-six at the Indiana 41, Iamaleava was sacked by Tyrique Tucker for a loss of eight yards.

UCLA punted to the Indiana 12.

No. 2 Indiana 28, UCLA 0, 8:43 left in the second quarter

UCLA started on its 8 after a block in the back penalty on the kickoff return.

Jaivian Thomas ran for a loss of one yard.

Nico Iamaleava passed to Kwazi Gilmer for 13 yards. Iamaleava passed to Hudson Habermehl for four yards and then another five yards.

On third-and-one at the UCLA 29, Jalen Berger ran for no gain and fumbled. Indiana recovered it at the UCLA 29.

Roman Hemby ran for four yards. Fernando Mendoza passed to E.J. Williams Jr. for 12 yards. Hemby ran for a 13-yard touchdown. The Hoosiers it the extra point.

No. 2 Indiana 21, UCLA 0, 12:30 left in the second quarter

Indiana started on its 25.

Kaelon Black ran for three yards. Fernando Mendoza passed for six yards. Black ran for four yards. Mendzoza’s next pass was incomplete, but UCLA was called for pass interference, moving the ball to the UCLA 47. Mendoza tossed an incomplete pass broken up by UCLA’s Andre Jordan Jr.

Roman Hemby ran for three yards and time expired in the first quarter.

On third-and-seven at the UCLA 44, Mendoza tossed an incomplete pass but Rodrick Pleasant was called for a pass interference on what appeared to be close to a no-call situation.

On first down at the UCLA 29, Hemby ran for 15 yards and then ran for another eight yards to the UCLA 6. Mendoza ran three yards. UCLA called timeout.

Mendoza tossed an incomplete pass, Black ran for three yards and Mendoza passed to Elijah Sarrat for a one-yard touchdown. Indiana hit an extra point.

No. 2 Indiana 14, UCLA 0, 2:16 left in the first quarter

UCLA started on its 18 after the kickoff was returned 13 yards.

Anthony Frias II ran for two yards. Nico Iamaleava tossed an incomplete pass and then was sacked for a loss of eight yards.

ULCA punted to the Indiana 25.

No. 2 Indiana 14, UCLA 0, 4:02 left in the first quarter

Indiana started on its 41 after the UCLA botched fake punt.

Kaelon Block ran for 20 yards. Fernando Mendoza tossed an incomplete pass. Black ran for three yards. Mendoza passed to E.J. Williams Jr. for a 30-yard gain. Roman Hemby ran for two yards to the UCLA 4. Hemby ran for two yards to the UCLA 2. Hemby ran for one yard to the UCLA 1.

On fourth-and-inches at the UCLA 1, Hemby ran for the touchdown. Indiana hit the extra point.

No. 2 Indiana 7, UCLA 0, 8:06 left in the first quarter

UCLA started on its 44 after the UCLA intercepted.

Jaivian Thomas ran for a loss of one yard. Nico Iamaleava completed his first pass, hitting Rico Flores Jr. for 13 yards.

Jalen Berger ran for a loss of three yards. Iamaleava ran for six yards. On third-and-seven, Iamaleava tossed an incomplete pass.

UCLA faked the punt, but Indiana closed quickly and Mikey Matthews’ pass under pressure was wildly off target.

The Hoosiers take over on their 41 after the turnover on downs.

No. 2 Indiana 7, UCLA 0, 10:42 left in the first quarter

Indiana started on its 35 after a punt return and penalty.

Fernando Mendoza passed for five yards and then 13 yards. roman H’emby then ran for one yard. Mendoza’s pass was incomplete, then he scrambled for 16 yards.

On first down at the UCLA 30, Mendoza tossed an incomplete pass. Mendoza’s next pass up the middle was intercepted by Scooter Jackson and returned to the UCLA 44.

No. 2 Indiana 7, UCLA 0, 13:04 left in the first quarter

UCLA started on its 18 after a Kyle Miller 18-yard return.

Jaivian Thomas ran for two yards. Nico Iamaleava tossed an incomplete pass. Iamaleava tossed a ball intended for Rico Flores Jr. across the middle, but it was off target and incomplete. Flores took a hard hit on the play and was slow to get off the field.

UCLA punted to the Indiana 30 and it was returned by Jonathan Brady to the Bruins’ 46. The Hoosiers were called for a block in the back, a 10-yard penalty from the spot of the foul, and shifted back to their 35.

No. 2 Indiana 7, UCLA 0, 14:30 left in the first quarter

UCLA started on its 27 after Kyle Miller returned the opening kickoff 17 yards.

Nico Iamaleava was sacked for a loss of two yards. On second-and-12, Iamaleava’s pass intended for Rico Flores Jr. was intercepted by Aiden Fisher and returned for a touchdown.

Indiana hit the extra point and made an early statement.

UCLA 0, No. 2 Indiana 0, start of first quarter

Indiana won the coin toss and elected to defer the opening kickoff.

His father says it all the time.

Anthony Frias II will suffer a setback, like those scary months when the UCLA running back was stuck in transfer portal limbo, unsure if his college career was over, and he’ll hear those familiar words.

It’s part of the movie.

He’ll strain in anonymity, police repeatedly coming to the door of his home at 2:30 a.m. because neighbors kept complaining about the sound of weights slamming onto the floor of the garage after another sweaty deadlift, and here comes his father’s favorite phrase again.

Tim Skipper is almost surely going to be somebody’s head coach next season.

As he guided a previously winless team to a third consecutive victory on Saturday, two questions surrounding UCLA’s wildly popular interim coach circulated inside the Rose Bowl:

What are the chances Skipper is made the Bruins’ permanent coach if he keeps this up? And, in what now seems like a great curiosity, what was Fresno State thinking in not keeping him after last season?

The second question comes with easier answers.

As UCLA prepared to try to topple its highest-ranked opponent in nearly two decades, one coach talked about the challenges of beating an undefeated team, of stopping its vaunted rushing attack, of halting its quick starts.

The coach was Curt Cignetti.

His team just happened to be No. 2 Indiana, the pop-up juggernaut that the Bruins will try to take down on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

“We’re playing a 3-0 football team that’s undefeated, that’s 3-0 in the conference since they have retooled their staff,” Cignetti told reporters. “Very impressive football team.”

Tim Skipper took a deep breath. What else could he do?

His quarterback had just clutched his right knee and needed assistance to make it off the field with a little more than two minutes left in a taut game in which his team appeared on the verge of losing its magic touch. Skipper had been in enough of these situations to know that sometimes injuries that look scary turn out just fine, so the UCLA interim coach inhaled and waited for the medical staff to render a verdict.

Once Skipper saw Nico Iamaleava starting to walk around the Rose Bowl sideline, his facial expression no longer transfixed in a grimace, the coach figured a team in need of a late break might get one.

“I was like, man, we have a shot here, we have a shot,” Skipper said. “And then they cleared him and I was like, all right, let’s go.”

Tim Skipper was just a redshirt freshman then, a speck of a middle linebacker at 5 feet 6.

His Fresno State Bulldogs went on the road and beat No. 18 Air Force on that October day in 1997, knocking off what had been the only 7-0 team in major college football.

“They were rolling,” Skipper, UCLA’s interim coach, said this week, “and we found a way to go get that thing done.”

It’s a memory that sticks with Skipper more than a quarter of a century later because it had been the only nationally ranked team he was part of taking down as a player or interim coach before his then-winless Bruins pulled off a stunner of far greater proportions this month when they upset then-No. 7 Penn State.