No. 5 UCLA Visits Minnesota Seeking to Stay Undefeated

Undefeated No. 5 UCLA (8-0) visits Minnesota (5-3) as the Bruins begin a demanding finish to their season. UCLA’s defense leads the nation with 26 takeaways and has allowed just four touchdowns over its past four games, while Minnesota will need to protect the ball; the Gophers beat Iowa and narrowly lost to Indiana in overtime. The matchup could hinge on turnovers and possession, with UCLA’s ball-control offense looking to avoid the run-heavy approach that helped Purdue overwhelm Minnesota earlier this season. Backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach has guided UCLA since starter Nico Iamaleava was injured, while Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey has focused on improving his footwork, reads and composure. UCLA is considered a playoff contender, but faces a challenging closing stretch against Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan and USC.