After his team shocked the college football world last week, the next objective for UCLA interim head coach Tim Skipper is to avoid being “one-hit wonders” as they head into a Big Ten contest Saturday afternoon at Michigan State.
UCLA is coming off a stunning home upset of then-No. 7 Penn State, becoming the first 0-4 team to beat a team ranked in the Top 10 since an 0-6 UTEP squad stunned No. 7 BYU on Oct. 26, 1985.
While basking in the glow and taking countless congratulations from coaching friends and school alumni, Skipper hopes it is the start of something for the rest of this season and not an aberration. UTEP, for example, finished its 1985 season 1-10.
“I’m a 24-hour type guy,” Skipper said. “Once we started our team meeting (Sunday), it was watch, correct and critique things. Enjoy the good moments from the game, but then we moved on pretty quickly after that. We don’t want to be one-hit wonders. That’s the whole key to this thing. Do not be a one-hit wonder.”
UCLA (1-4, 1-1 Big Ten) hopes to make it two in a row when it opposes Michigan State (3-2, 0-2), which has a head coach familiar with the Bruins.
Jonathan Smith grew up in Pasadena, Calif., and has been rumored to be a candidate for the full-time UCLA job since DeShaun Foster was fired after Week 3.
Smith was impressed with what UCLA did against Penn State, particularly with the way quarterback Nico Iamaleava ran the ball. In addition to throwing for 166 yards and two touchdowns, the Tennessee transfer rushed 16 times for 128 yards and three scores.
“You look at the quarterback and how he hurt them with his legs,” Smith said. “The ability to run. I know he’s one of their leading rushers. But that part stood out, how he ran with the ball and really willingly made some plays for that offense.”
Michigan State also boasts a talented dual-threat quarterback in Aidan Chiles, who will look to rebound from a poor passing performance against Nebraska.
Chiles, who rushed for two scores, completed just 9 of 23 passes for 85 yards and two interceptions in the Spartans’ 38-27 road loss. Smith believes a lot of it was the byproduct of poor protection from the offensive line.
“It showed up being worse than it was on the film,” he said. “We’ve got to get a cleaner pocket for him.”
This will be the first meeting between UCLA and Michigan State since 1974. The all-time series is tied 3-3.
