UCLA Seeks to Preserve Undefeated Season Against Struggling Nevada

UCLA football plays its final nonconference game of the season on Halloween afternoon at the Rose Bowl.

The No. 7 Bruins enter the contest with a 7-0 record in their first season under head coach Bob Chesney. They are attempting to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff, a first for the program.

Nevada, which holds a 3-4 overall record and a 2-2 mark in the Mountain West Conference, faces a difficult matchup against a top-10 team. Coach Jeff Choate acknowledged the disparity in talent and standing between the two squads.

Choate noted that UCLA is one of only three undefeated teams remaining at their level of competition. He emphasized that the Bruins have defeated strong opponents, including Wisconsin and Michigan State, rather than easier nonconference foes.

"Coach Chesney’s done a fantastic job there. You look at this team, it’s a top-10 team. One of the few undefeated teams left," Choate said. "Three undefeated teams left in the country and they’re one of them at our level. They’re in a real league. It’s not like they’re beating patsies."

The outcome of the game will set the tone for the Bruins' final four regular-season contests. UCLA must travel to Minnesota and Michigan and host Illinois and USC. A loss against Nevada could jeopardize their playoff positioning given the strength of those upcoming schedules.

UCLA's offense has relied heavily on a running game that features three primary backs. Wayne Knight, Anthony Woods, and Jaivian Thomas have combined for 1,327 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns this season.

Choate praised the chemistry among the trio. "Offensively, it’s about the run game. They’ve got three really talented backs … they complement each other well," Choate said. "All three of the backs complement each other with their styles."

Nevada's defense has allowed an average of 166 rushing yards per game in the Mountain West. UCLA's quarterback Ty Dieffenbach, who replaced Nico Iamaleava in the October 10 victory over Oregon, has operated an efficient passing attack since entering the lineup.

The Wolf Pack have utilized three different quarterbacks for in-game responsibilities. UCLA transfer Luke Duncan led the team in a 15-point win over San Jose State on October 24. Chesney indicated his defense would need multiple game plans to account for the different playing styles of the Wolf Pack's signal callers.

"They have three different quarterbacks that they’ve been playing with," Chesney said. "We got to figure out which one. We got to have three different plans ready for each one. Not schematically, crazy different plans, just the intent of how we’re gonna play within those calls based on is this quarterback a runner or not."

Nevada also features a power-based rushing attack anchored by Dominic Kelley and Herschel Turner. UCLA has limited opponents to 131 rushing yards per game in its nonconference matchups so far. The Bruins will look to maintain that defensive pressure, led in part by senior linebacker Sammy Omosigho, who has recorded 53 tackles, five sacks, and five forced fumbles this year.