Ohio State vs. UCLA Preview: Shutting Down Nico Iamaleava Will Shut Down UCLA in the Buckeyes‘ Likely Final Home Night Game of 2025

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UCLA

Bruins

3-6 (3-3)

roster  |  schedule

NOV. 15, 2025 - 7:30 P.M. ET

Ohio Stadium

Columbus, OH

NBCOSU -31.5

Ohio State’s next conference clash is brewin’ as November grows colder.

On Saturday, the UCLA Bruins come to the Shoe for what will be the Buckeyes’ final night game of the regular season. After starting the year 0-4 with losses to mid-major programs UNLV and New Mexico, leading to the firing of former head coach DeShaun Foster just 15 games into his tenure, UCLA has found a scent of success in its six games since Big Ten play started.

Now piloted by interim head coach Tim Skipper, the Bruins beat then-top-10 Penn State 42-37 in their second conference game, prompting the eventual firing of Nittany Lion head coach James Franklin. They thrashed Michigan State on the road 38-13 the following week and capped a three-game winning streak with a 20-17 win over Maryland. Losses at No. 2 Indiana (56-6) and at home vs. Nebraska (28-21) have followed, though.

It’s another team that Ohio State should handle comfortably, as it has other overmatched Big Ten foes, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Penn State and Purdue. Ryan Day and his team’s concentration on the task at hand remains, easing the worries that the Bruins could pull off a shocker in the Shoe.

“We have to expect the unexpected,” Day said on his weekly radio show with 97.1 the Fan Thursday. “They had a coordinator change on defense after that (head coaching) change. He kind of came in and wasn't really part of the staff, and then took over and did his whole deal. So it's a little bit different. But I give them all credit. The kids are playing hard. And that's a tribute to the guys that are there, and not only just the culture of the program at UCLA, but how those coaches are doing to keep it all together.”

The Headlines

Familiar Foe Nico

UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava has experience playing a night game in the Shoe, albeit wearing a different uniform. He went 14-of-31 (45.2%) for 104 yards passing and rushed 20 times for 47 yards and two touchdowns as his Tennessee team lost 42-17 to the Buckeyes in the first round of last year’s College Football Playoff. Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon cracked Iamaleava’s helmet on the Volunteers’ first offensive series.

Stopping the Bruins’ offense in 2025 centers around stopping Iamaleava. With lesser talent around him, his passing numbers have dipped, going from 7.8 yards per attempt to 6.4 and from 19 touchdowns with five interceptions to 12 touchdowns with seven interceptions from 2024 to 2025. But he still completes 63.7% of his throws. And his legs store the true threat.

Removing the 22 sacks he’s taken (UCLA allows the 31st-most sacks per game in the country), Iamaleava’s racked up 600 rushing yards at a clip of 8.1 yards per carry with four rushing touchdowns. The problem for the Bruins is Ohio State’s defense has been devastating against mobile quarterbacks.

Linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles are athletic freaks prepared to spy any mobile quarterback, and the Buckeyes’ defensive linemen know how to cage a pocket. Washington QB Demond Williams Jr., one of the nation’s fastest speedsters at the position, rushed for at least 54 yards in his first six games this season – except for when he played Ohio State in Seattle, where he had -28 rushing yards, still his season-low. Ohio’s Parker Navarro has gobbled up 637 rushing yards this season, but finished with a measly three yards vs. OSU, also his season-low.

“Nico's a great player,” Ohio State defensive tackle Eddrick Houston said. “He takes hits, but he'll get back up and do his thing. You just got to be aware of his feet, him on the ground and in the air because he can hurt you both ways. So – can’t give out the game plan – but just being able to contain him is what we'll do.”

Run Game Renovations Continue

Ohio State still ranks just 68th in rushing yards per game (155.1) and 51st in yards per carry (4.6) nationally. There have been signs of growth the last few weeks in the ground game, but it’s still not where the Buckeyes want it to be for a national title push – even if their defense and passing attack might be able to carry them to the top anyway.

The Buckeyes found more consistency on the ground at Purdue than they did against Illinois, Wisconsin or Penn State, collecting 170 team rushing yards on four yards per carry. Removing the two sacks Julian Sayin took, they averaged 4.6 yards per rush, and Ohio State’s running backs are the top position group to thank for that.

Of those 4.6 sack-adjusted yards per carry, 3.1 of them came after contact. Freshmen Bo Jackson and Isaiah West led the charge, the former with 14 carries for 75 yards (5.4 YPC) and the latter with nine carries for 60 yards (6.7). West forced four missed tackles and Jackson forced three, per Pro Football Focus. Jackson had a 70-yard touchdown run negated by a block in the back.

“I thought that group took a step,” Day said on Tuesday. “Even though maybe it only looked like a little step to everybody, there was a lot of things that I saw they took a step on. I thought the two runs by Bo in the short-yardage situations were excellent. I mean, that was a free guy in the hole (he ran over). But that's how Quinshon (Judkins) looked last year. Some of the explosive runs that we got with Trey (Henderson) last year, it was good to see Bo hit one. We got it called back, but that's what we're looking for.”

Where things need to improve is on the offensive line. There were still too many whiffs from right guard Tegra Tshabola, but his interior teammates of Carson Hinzman and Luke Montgomery also had issues (check out this week’s film study from Kyle Jones). It’s been a blend of schematics, communication, chemistry and technical breakdowns that are hurting the front on running plays.

But UCLA should provide another chance to keep gaining momentum. The only worse run defense Ohio State will see in Big Ten play comes next week against Rutgers. The Bruins are 128th out of 136 teams nationally in yards per carry allowed at five, and 123rd in opposing rushing yards per game at 191.1.

The goal is to keep taking strides. There probably will come a time this year when Ohio State needs to run the football to close out a big game.

Enjoy the Saturday Night Lights

Ohio State fans received just one home night game during the 2024 regular season, which came against Western Michigan. Western Michigan. The final six games of the Buckeyes’ regular season were all played at noon. While patrons of the Scarlet and Gray didn’t get a marquee matchup at home *stares at FOX while thinking about the Texas game* they will get three home night games in total, at least, with the UCLA game kicking off at 7:30 p.m.

Even if the Buckeyes fall to Michigan or in the Big Ten Championship game, they are likely to receive a first-round bye through the College Football Playoff. So, be sure to enjoy the atmosphere, especially if you’re in attendance. Get loosened up with your favorite beverages. Tailgate with your friends. Ohio State’s Tradition Evolved campaign has improved the gameday environment, especially with more music, better sound systems and the students all sitting together in one section.

Savor the moments.

“Anytime it's a night game, it's exciting,” Day said on Wednesday. “And I think we have some good recruits in, so it's just great. We should have a great crowd. We've had great crowds this year. So it should be a great atmosphere. We're certainly looking forward to it.”

Watch Out for These Guys

UCLA CB Rodrick Pleasant

The Bruins’ run defense is awful, but their pass defense is a bit better, ranked 26th in passing yards allowed per game (185.6) but 72nd in yards allowed per pass attempt (7.1). Pleasant has been their most consistent defensive back, allowing a completion percentage of just 46.7% and four yards per target on 45 targets in pass defense. He has 32 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and seven pass breakups this year.

UCLA LB JonJon Vaughns

Kirby Lee – Imagn Images

Easily the best player in UCLA’s maligned front six, Vaughns has a team-high 88 tackles with three TFLs and a fumble recovery. A sixth-year senior, he’s spent each of those years with the Bruins and is having a great final campaign after bouncing back from a season-ending injury in 2024.

Ohio State LB Arvell Reese

With the Silver Bullets on high alert for Iamaleava’s legs, he might get decapitated by Reese in this game. Nicknamed “the monster” by safety Caleb Downs, Reese remains a favorite to win the Butkus Award at year’s end, with 55 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks so far. He has a gaudy pressure rate of 27.5% on his 80 pass rushes this season, per PFF.

Game Week Talk

“When we get back on the road, we want to make sure we put a big-time emphasis on starting fast. That’s gonna be the big thing. But, we have to take care of us. We can’t worry about who we’re playing, things like that. Control the controllables and control what we do.”– UCLA interim HC Tim Skipper on playing the No. 1 team in the country on the road

Similar to Purdue head coach Barry Odom’s approach last week, Skipper wants his team to focus inward rather than get riled up over all the talent Ohio State possesses and the ranking attached to its name. Classic coachspeak, sure, but nonetheless an important emphasis for an overmatched team.

“I recognize the names from high school. I don't think I've met too many of them, but I recognize the names. Growing up and seeing them in recruiting, just seeing those guys, And I think I've played maybe some 7-on-7 against those guys, and they have some good players over there.”– Ohio State QB Julian Sayin on whether he knows any of UCLA's players from California

A California native, there’s some familiarity with UCLA and the players populating their roster from Ohio State’s star quarterback. At least in passing. Good thing he’s a Buckeye through and through now.

“It’s not too special. We’ve played in loud environments before, all of us, whether we were here (at UCLA) last year or not, throughout the country. So I think everybody is used to it.”– UCLA RB Anthony Frias II on the noise factor in the Shoe

UCLA’s No. 4 running back doesn’t think the stadium noise will have a huge impact on his team’s offense. Might be time to turn up that volume on Saturday.

Get Smart

• Ohio State and UCLA have a 4-4-1 all-time record against each other. UCLA won the most recent meeting between the teams in 2001, beating Ohio State 13-6 in Pasadena.
• This will be the first meeting between Ohio State and UCLA since UCLA joined the Big Ten last season. They’re scheduled to play next in 2028 at UCLA.
• It‘s the first time since 2022 and just the third time ever that Ohio State has had three home night games in a season.
• UCLA’s only player from Ohio is backup defensive back Bryon Threats, a Dublin Coffman graduate from Columbus.
• Ohio State has five players from California: Starting quarterback Julian Sayin, reserve quarterback Eli Brickhandler, freshman defensive linemen Epi Sitanilei and Trajen Odom and walk-on cornerback Glorien Gough.
• If Ohio State beats UCLA, it will be the 1,000th win in program history, including the 12 wins in 2010 that were vacated due to NCAA sanctions.

How It Plays Out

Line: Ohio State -31.5, O/U 47.5

There’s no reason the Buckeyes shouldn’t keep rolling before a raucous home crowd on Saturday. There isn’t an area of the game where UCLA holds an advantage. The goal is to get ahead early, put any doubts to rest and get some rest for the starters and key contributors with only one further soft opponent to go before Ohio State travels to Ann Arbor with retribution on its mind.

Several Eleven Warriors staffers have the Bruins covering, though still losing by four scores, including yours truly, who went with a more conservative 41-10 scoreline after a terrible 56-3 prediction last week. But the consensus is that the Buckeyes will earn another blowout win on Saturday night.

Eleven Warriors Staff Prediction
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