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.”

So startling is the transformation that the Bruins have made since their winless start that they are the ones now being praised by the coach of one of the nation’s top teams.

Surging UCLA (3-4 overall, 3-1 Big Ten) is only the third Big Ten team to lose its first four games and win its next three, joining 1963 Indiana and 2001 Penn State.

Of course, the Bruins hope the parallels end there given that those Hoosiers went on to lose their final two games and those Nittany Lions finished with a losing record.

Cignetti made the 2025 Bruins sound like a team for the ages, pointing out that they were averaging 233 yards rushing per game over the last three games while dominating the time of possession battle and outscoring opponents 58-17 in the first half over that same span.

UCLA will head into a nationally televised “Big Noon” showdown against Indiana (7-0, 4-0) having already taken down a top-10 team this season, though their 42-37 victory over then-No. 7 Penn State earlier this month has lost considerable luster given the Nittany Lions’ ensuing free fall.

Fortunately for the Bruins, interim coach Tim Skipper played for Pat Hill at Fresno State, meaning he embraces the “Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere” mindset that made the scrappy Bulldogs a national phenomenon because of their fearlessness.

“That’s always part of me; I’ve been brainwashed that way, to be honest with you,” Skipper said. “But, yeah, I mean, to me, once the whistle blows, it’s just us against you. I mean, it’s time to go. Let’s see who had the better week of practice, let’s see who’s more prepared, let’s see who wants this thing. So that’s how I see it. We’re going to kick it off, we’re going to have to be ready to strain for every inch and let’s see what happens.”

Asked to assess Indiana, Skipper heaped praise upon a team that is among the best in the nation in almost every major statistical category.

“I am still trying to identify weaknesses,” Skipper said. “Like, it is crazy how disciplined they are.”

UCLA last beat a team ranked as high as Indiana in a game that many Bruins fans will forever cherish — their 13-9 triumph over No. 2 USC in 2006 at the Rose Bowl.

A recruiting win

At a time of great uncertainty, when it would be easy for UCLA’s staff to worry more about their own futures than those of high school prospects who may never play for them, the Bruins have continued to recruit.

They landed another verbal commitment Monday from Travis Robertson, an offensive tackle from West Bloomfield, Mich., who was previously committed to Bowling Green.

“They have shown me that no matter what situation they are in,” Robertson told The Times, “they will always get the job done with the coaching staff and players. And I’m rooting for this staff 100%.”

UCLA’s staff has also continued to pursue recruits who have backed out of their verbal commitments, including Cooper Javorsky, an offensive lineman from San Juan Hills High who spent time visiting with offensive line coach Andy Kwon before the Bruins’ game against Maryland last weekend.

“We’re grinding over here, we’re not letting anything go to waste or not giving effort in one area or another,” Skipper said of his staff’s recruiting efforts. “It’s full speed in everything that we’re doing.”

UCLA’s 2026 recruiting class is currently ranked No. 78 nationally by 247Sports.com, with 12 players committed.

Injury updates

Skipper said he would wait to further assess quarterback Nico Iamaleava and running backs Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas before providing injury updates.

Iamaleava returned from an apparent right knee injury sustained late in the game against Maryland to lead the Bruins on their winning drive. Woods and Thomas were sidelined after “both guys kind of got rolled up on,” Skipper said.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana High School Athletic Association’s (IHSAA) football postseason has arrived.

This week will be the first week of high school playoff football across the Hoosier State.

No teams in Class 6A will be playing this week. Instead, they all have a week off before beginning postseason play on Friday, Oct. 31.

Meanwhile, most of Class 5A has the week off as well, although there will be one matchup this Friday. Whiteland will travel to Seymour to take on the Owls this Friday night in a first-round sectional contest.

The other classes across the state (4A, 3A, 2A and 1A) will all begin postseason play though this Friday with first-round sectional matchups.

Here is a look at the Class 4A playoff games this week:

• Sectional 17 – Hanover Central at Lowell
• Sectional 17 – Highland at East Chicago Central
• Sectional 17 – Kankakee Valley at Gary West Side
• Sectional 17 – New Prairie at Hobart
• Sectional 18 – Plymouth at South Bend Washington
• Sectional 18 – Mishawaka at NorthWood
• Sectional 18 – Wawasee at Northridge
• Sectional 18 – South Bend Riley at South Bend St. Joseph
• Sectional 19 – Fort Wayne Wayne at Fort Wayne South Side
• Sectional 19 – New Haven at East Noble
• Sectional 19 – Columbia City at DeKalb
• Sectional 19 – Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger at Leo
• Sectional 20 – Lebanon at Culver Academies
• Sectional 20 – Muncie Central at Marion
• Sectional 20 – Huntington North at Logansport
• Sectional 21 – Beech Grove at Richmond
• Sectional 21 – Pendleton Heights at Mt. Vernon (Fortville)
• Sectional 21 – New Castle at Greenfield-Central
• Sectional 22 – Shortridge at Danville
• Sectional 22 – Roncalli at Northview
• Sectional 22 – Bishop Chatard at Mooresville
• Sectional 22 – Crispus Attucks at Brebeuf Jesuit
• Sectional 23 – Bedford North Lawrence at Jennings County
• Sectional 23 – Connersville at Shelbyville
• Sectional 23 – Martinsville at Greenwood
• Sectional 23 – Silver Creek at Charlestown
• Sectional 24 – Evansville Central at Evansville Reitz
• Sectional 24 – Heritage Hills at Washington
• Sectional 24 – Jasper at Boonville
• Sectional 24 – Evansville Bosse at Evansville Harrison

Here is a look at the Class 3A playoff games this week:

• Sectional 25 – Glenn at Calumet
• Sectional 25 – Mishawaka Marian at River Forest
• Sectional 25 – Griffith at Hammond Bishop Noll
• Sectional 25 – Knox at Jimtown
• Sectional 26 – Garrett at Fairfield
• Sectional 26 – Woodlan at Lakeland
• Sectional 26 – Tippecanoe Valley at Angola
• Sectional 26 – Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran at West Noble
• Sectional 27 – Northwestern at Peru
• Sectional 27 – Maconaquah at Twin Lakes
• Sectional 27 – West Lafayette at Western
• Sectional 27 – Frankton at Benton Central
• Sectional 28 – Mississinewa at Oak Hill
• Sectional 28 – Jay County at Bellmont
• Sectional 28 – Norwell at Heritage
• Sectional 28 – Fort Wayne Bishop Luers at Delta
• Sectional 29 – Cascade at Indianapolis George Washington
• Sectional 29 – Tri-West Hendricks at West Vigo
• Sectional 29 – Speedway at Crawfordsville
• Sectional 29 – Guerin Catholic at Hamilton Heights
• Sectional 30 – Franklin County at Batesville
• Sectional 30 – Greensburg at Purdue Polytechnic-Downtown
• Sectional 30 – Rushville Consolidated at South Dearborn
• Sectional 31 – Owen Valley at Madison Consolidated
• Sectional 31 – Corydon Central at North Harrison
• Sectional 31 – Edgewood at Scottsburg
• Sectional 32 – Gibson Southern at Vincennes Lincoln
• Sectional 32 – Mt. Vernon at Southridge
• Sectional 32 – Evansville Mater Dei at Princeton Community

Here is a look at the Class 2A playoff games this week:

• Sectional 33 – Wheeler at Lake Station Edison
• Sectional 33 – Rensselaer Central at Boone Grove
• Sectional 33 – Bremen at Whiting
• Sectional 34 – Delphi Community at Southmont
• Sectional 34 – North Putnam at Western Boone
• Sectional 34 – Lafayette Central Catholic at Seeger
• Sectional 34 – Lewis Cass at North Montgomery
• Sectional 35 – Prairie Heights at Manchester
• Sectional 35 – Whitko at Eastside
• Sectional 35 – Central Noble at Adams Central
• Sectional 35 – Bluffton at Churubusco
• Sectional 36 – Eastbrook at Alexandria Monroe
• Sectional 36 – Rochester Community at Elwood Community
• Sectional 36 – Eastern (Greentown) at Blackford
• Sectional 36 – Wabash at Tipton
• Sectional 37 – Indianapolis Lutheran at Covenant Christian
• Sectional 37 – Heritage Christian at Cardinal Ritter
• Sectional 37 – Monrovia at Scecina
• Sectional 38 – Northeastern at Shenandoah
• Sectional 38 – Triton Central at Centerville
• Sectional 38 – Lapel at Winchester Community
• Sectional 38 – Eastern Hancock at Union County
• Sectional 39 – Sullivan at South Vermillion
• Sectional 39 – Pike Central at North Posey
• Sectional 39 – Greencastle at Brown County
• Sectional 39 – Mitchell at Linton-Stockton
• Sectional 40 – Crawford County at Clarksville
• Sectional 40 – Salem at Switzerland County
• Sectional 40 – Brownstown Central at Tell City
• Sectional 40 – Eastern (Pekin) at Paoli

Here is a look at the Class 1A playoff games this week:

• Sectional 41 – LaVille at Culver Community
• Sectional 41 – North Judson-San Pierre at South Central (Union Mills)
• Sectional 41 – West Central at South Newton
• Sectional 41 – North Newton at Bowman Academy
• Sectional 42 – Frontier at Tri-County
• Sectional 42 – Pioneer at Caston
• Sectional 42 – Carroll (Flora) at Winamac Community
• Sectional 42 – North White at Taylor
• Sectional 43 – North Miami at Northfield
• Sectional 43 – Southern Wells at Triton
• Sectional 43 – Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian at Fremont
• Sectional 44 – Union City at Hagerstown
• Sectional 44 – Cambridge City Lincoln at Monroe Central
• Sectional 44 – Madison-Grant at South Adams
• Sectional 44 – Wes-Del at Tri
• Sectional 45 – Attica at South Putnam
• Sectional 45 – Parke Heritage at Fountain Central
• Sectional 45 – Covington at North Central (Farmersburg)
• Sectional 45 – Riverton Parke at North Vermillion
• Sectional 46 – Clinton Central at Cloverdale
• Sectional 47 – South Decatur at Eastern Greene
• Sectional 47 – West Washington at Knightstown
• Sectional 47 – Greenwood Christian at North Decatur
• Sectional 48 – Forest Park at Springs Valley
• Sectional 48 – Providence at North Knox
• Sectional 48 – North Daviess at Perry Central
• Sectional 48 – South Spencer at Tecumseh

Of course, as always, be sure to tune into The Zone on Friday night beginning at 11:08 on WISH-TV for highlights from the first week of the high school football postseason.