About UCLA

The only real reward this year is if we can keep Nebraska out of a bowl the last week.
I found the beat down of Wisconsin to be quite rewarding. I would also love to see us win the last three games and get to 9 wins. I know most Iowa fans are pretty obsessed with Braska, tho, so that's cool.
 
4 more beatdowns would be very satisfying to end the year as well as QB development for next year sounds wonderful. I hope they add a couple passes per game as he matures in system as he surely isn't getting much and he looks good mostly when he does. I hope we keep improving against an improving UCLA squad.
 
All indications are they're hard to run on and they score more points in the first half...usually..not always. They hung tough with PSU and LSU in the first half and then got shut down and scored on (road gameS).


hard to figure this. IF the hawks bust lose and pound the rock on them we should be thrilled !
 
UCLA held Penn St. to 85 yds rushing. From an offensive perspective, this game is much more likely to look like the game vs Sparty than the Badgers. Versus MSU, the Hawks scored 20, and left a lot on the field in the 1st half with horrible throws by Mac & terrible play-calling by Lester (overthrows, underthrows, no misdirection, not getting the ball to Wetjer until the 2nd half). Get that pt total up to 27 points and that should be enough for the W Friday night.
 
UCLA held Penn St. to 85 yds rushing. From an offensive perspective, this game is much more likely to look like the game vs Sparty than the Badgers. Versus MSU, the Hawks scored 20, and left a lot on the field in the 1st half with horrible throws by Mac & terrible play-calling by Lester (overthrows, underthrows, no misdirection, not getting the ball to Wetjer until the 2nd half). Get that pt total up to 27 points and that should be enough for the W Friday night.
27 and we win for sure. UCLA's offense is competent at best. Against, our D, I don't see them breaking 20. That said, I don't see our offense scoring 27 unless we get some ST/D help.
 
In Jim Lester we trust, hire/fire him, take your pick............

I was at that 1986 Rose Bowl. That year was the most fun of my life in regard to being a Hawk fan. I was broken hearted with Ronnie Harmon's four fumbles in the first half and left the game. I watched the second half thru the window of a UCLA fan sitting in his limo watching his TV parked right next to my car. We had a fun conversation. I still wonder, though, why would he sit in his limo in the parking lot of the Rose Bowl to watch the game. Hey, the memories we make.
 
Vegas has Iowa as a 6 point favorite. I’m totally confused. Are they baiting us or do they know something?
 
Vegas has Iowa as a 6 point favorite. I’m totally confused. Are they baiting us or do they know something?
I doubt Vegas is giving them much of a home field advantage given that half the crowd will probably be Iowa fans.

I guess Vegas sees us coming off a QB change and back to back 40 point games, and sees a very flawed UCLA team with a poor record, but who has been playing better of late.

Personally, I would not bet that either way. Iowa could clearly lose, but just as likely they win by 3. Despite recent history, Iowa usually ends up in nailbiters.
 
I think this is a tough match up for us. Travel and they looked fast against nebby. they are tough against the run too so not a great match up. I hope I’m wrong
 
I think this is a tough match up for us. Travel and they looked fast against nebby. they are tough against the run too so not a great match up. I hope I’m wrong
I hope Lester has a plan B for this game. If we can't run the ball well early (I suspect we might struggle early on) and say we get down 7-10 pts I hope to hell that we try and open it up some and let Sully throw more. I don't think we win this game with him only throwing 10 times. But we could easily lose it if we do that again.
 
I hope Lester has a plan B for this game. If we can't run the ball well early (I suspect we might struggle early on) and say we get down 7-10 pts I hope to hell that we try and open it up some and let Sully throw more. I don't think we win this game with him only throwing 10 times. But we could easily lose it if we do that again

I concur. Might not be a bad time to dip into Hayden's bag of tricks for an early flea flicker or halfback pass or something. The defense is going to be coming hard to stop the run. Would be great to get some early momentum through some chicanery.
 
Chicanery. That is an oxymoron with us. I am all for it. I know Alabama has used some trick plays so why not Iowa?
 
I concur. Might not be a bad time to dip into Hayden's bag of tricks for an early flea flicker or halfback pass or something. The defense is going to be coming hard to stop the run. Would be great to get some early momentum through some chicanery.
Wouldn't that be fun. Even if it doesn't work so what? Try something outside the realm of anything we've put on tape this yr. I just don't want to see us get down and then we just keep trying the same thing that isn't working for 3 qs before it's too late.
 
It also may not be a bad time to break out some read option. That isn't exactly a trick play, but puts pressure on the D. I fear if we just line up and run right at these guys we may not love the results. We can move the ball, but we might need a more nuanced approach. Let's hope Lester isn't as stubborn as KF in this game planning.
 
I hope Lester has a plan B for this game. If we can't run the ball well early (I suspect we might struggle early on) and say we get down 7-10 pts I hope to hell that we try and open it up some and let Sully throw more. I don't think we win this game with him only throwing 10 times. But we could easily lose it if we do that again.
I doubt Iowa will have four rushers with 50+ yards. That was the most shocked Wisconsin team I have ever seen. Who needs a passing game, when your running game is motorboating it up and down the field. I'm curious to see what sort of a complimentary passing game Lester can come up with.
 
Chad Leistikow said on his podcast this week that they had planned to throw more against Wisconsin. They just didn't have to. They didn't need to go away from what was working. As strong as UCLA is on run defense they are about equally bad at pass defense. I think we will end up throwing the ball more, something along the lines of 15-20 times.
 
I’m having flashbacks to the ASU debacle. I don’t like Iowa going out West for a night game.
 
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