The UCLA Bruins (3-5, 3-2) spent their Halloween serving its second and final bye week. The program will look to reach deep into its bag of tricks (or treats) to find a way back into the win column this weekend against the Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-3, 3-3).
UCLA Bruins vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers: 2025 College Football Preview
The last time we saw the Blue and Gold in action, they were getting beaten down by No. 2 Indiana. UCLA eventually lost 56-6. Nearly two weeks removed from that outing, the Bruins will return to action on Saturday, hosting the Cornhuskers.
UCLA vs. Nebraska: Matchup History
Outside of the previous Pac-12 members that now reside in the Big Ten, UCLA holds a solid history with Nebraska.
The Bruins and Cornhuskers have met 14 times in total (7-7 record), with their most recent matchup coming last season in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Blue and Gold were victors in the 2024 clash, winning 27-20. UCLA held the Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola to just 177 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Additionally, the Bruins have won three of the last four games against Nebraska. They will look to extend their flawless conference record against Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule and company. However, the setting will be different this year. Nebraska will come into the Rose Bowl without Raiola, as the dynamic sophomore suffered a season-ending leg injury last week against USC.
With a major piece missing from the Cornhuskers’ offense, UCLA opens as a 2.5-point favorite.
Keys to the Game
UCLA’s Key Player
The Week 9 film is not something UCLA will proudly hang its hat on. Neither side of the ball played its best brand of football, and Week 11 will be an opportunity to bounce back.
“We have to put [the Indiana game] in the past and get ready for our next opponent, which is Nebraska,” UCLA linebacker Jalen Woods said in regards to how they regrouped. “Just making sure we’re not soaking over the loss that we took against Indiana, and [not letting] it carry over to the next game.”
Defensively, Woods is a player who has been overshadowed all season. Playing behind the likes of JonJon Vaughns and Isaiah Chisom, the junior backer has not had a ton of opportunities. Although he’s produced in the opportunities that have been presented.
Woods’ career year, highlighted by 32 tackles, three passes defended and 0.5 sacks, has contributed to the revival of the Bruins’ season.
But the issue of tackling continues to haunt the Blue and Gold. For it to have any chance at winning highly competitive contests, securing tackles is a must, and it starts with the linebacking core. Even without Raiola suiting up, Nebraska holds a tough rushing identity and will punish poor tackling.
“Just doing better on tackling and the fundamentals,” Woods added. “All the defensive coaches have been having us do tackle drills … I just feel like that’s going to benefit us on Saturday.”
Nebraska’s Key Player
With one of the nation’s more exciting players out due to injury, the focus will shift onto the Big Ten rushing leader, Emmett Johnson.
The third-year back has had the backfield all to himself and has not disappointed. It took Johnson nine games to eclipse 1000 rushing yards. Not only is he far and away the top rusher in his conference, but he also ranks second in the nation in rushing yards. Johnson is a certified problem in the rushing attack, and five 100-plus-yard games are just a testament to it.
“Thousand-yard rusher — first one for us that we’re going to get,” UCLA interim head coach Tim Skipper emphasized. “He’s a legitimate baller. He can do it all. You think about running backs, you just think about them running, but he’s a threat out of the backfield as a pass catcher, too. So, [No. 21] has got to be an emphasis for us. We’re going to need to know where he is at all times.
For as great a rusher as the Nebraska back is, his role in the passing game can wreck defenses, too. So as long as the Cornhuskers remain competitive, Johnson will pose as a player to watch. He could be Nebraska’s one-way ticket to a road victory.
Bruins Path to a Win
Coming off the bye, well-rested, UCLA will have an opportunity to regain its mojo with a win over a banged-up Nebraska squad.
To get there, the Bruins must not overlook freshman quarterback TJ Lateef, who will be taking his first snaps as a starter for the Cornhuskers. However, a first career start on the road won’t be an ideal place for Lateef to start his journey. A motivated UCLA defensive unit needs to generate pressure on the inexperienced quarterback and force him to make plays.
Moreover, clogging up rushing lanes and securing tackles against Johnson would make the task much easier. If the offense can maintain a lead, Johnson’s legs could be forced out of the game script.
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Eric Hayrapetian
Eric is a lifelong Angeleno and a sports journalist who graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. He joined The League Winners in January of 2025, and is the lead beat writer for the UCLA Bruins. Follow Eric on X (formerly known as Twitter) @EricHayrapetian.