UCLA has finally found some stability with back-to-back victories, including a major 42-37  triumph over Big Ten powerhouse Penn State. Having started the season with four consecutive losses, the Bruins fired HC Deshaun Foster and put Tim Skipper in charge on an interim basis. But now Skipper faces another big test in the Bruins’ next game against Maryland. And the interim head coach has relayed a call to arms to every Bruins fan.

“I will say this to everybody out there that’s around this Rose Bowl area,” Skipper said on the B1G Today show on October 16. “Get out to the game on Saturday, we’re going to be wearing throwback uniforms. It’s homecoming. You are in the Rose Bowl. 4:00 kickoff. Sunset is going to be awesome once it hits. Get out there and watch us play. We need the fan base. You matter. You affect the game. So we would love to have you be in that stadium and ready to go.” The stage is set.

The Rose Bowl will be buzzing, with pregame tailgates, DJ sets, and alumni reunions celebrating past glory days from the 1976 and 1986 Rose Bowl champions. It’s the perfect backdrop for a team rediscovering its fight.  “The Grandaddy of them all,” the Rose Bowl has a unique significance in hosting legendary games. So you can just imagine how crazy the college football fans would be sitting in the stands and seeing their team play. However, the Bruins’ fans didn’t really celebrate UCLA’s first win of the season as they should have.

Fans didn’t storm the Rose Bowl field like you might expect, and there’s a solid reason why. The security was tight as they were standing firm to prevent fan rushes after the game. It’s actually a rare sight at the Rose Bowl to see the field stormed. In the entirety of its history, fans have rushed onto the field just twice, with one being in 1902, when Michigan defeated Stanford 49-0. About 8,500 frustrated fans stormed out after the one-sided contest, but fortunately, no one suffered serious injuries. And the second time was in 1998 when Michigan clinched the national championship.

Since then, security measures have been ramped up to keep fans in their seats. The strict rules were too hard to abide by the fans, as UCLA’s win was historic. They became the first team in 40 years to start 0-4 and then beat a top-10 opponent. During that game, Nico Iamaleava completed 17 out of 24 passes for 166 yards and even scored two TDs. He led the Bruins’ RB room with 128 rushing yards on 16 carries, adding three more TDs. And the Michigan State game saw no less as Iamaleava entered the end zone 3 times, racking up 180 yards. But this Maryland game is really critical for the Bruins to rack up their 3rd consecutive win.

And that’s why Skipper is requesting a heavy crowd in favour of the Bruins, who should step into the Rose Bowl. The Bruins are slightly favoured by 2.5 points, with the game’s total over/under being 52.5 points.

UCLA has turned the tables since Tim Skipper’s appointment

Tim Skipper is actually changing the narrative of UCLA football, and the results are glaring. UCLA’s 30-day transfer portal window after coach DeShaun Foster’s firing saw zero players leave the program. Now this one’s a major win, keeping in mind the whole lot of coaching carousel. Now the Bruins saw three interim coaches stepping in: Tim Skipper, Jerry Neuheisel, and Kevin Coyle. Even with all this chaos, the players stayed put.

One key example is QB Nico Iamaleava. His turnaround under interim coach Skipper has been remarkable, with Iamaleava accounting for major wins against Penn State and Michigan State. Skipper made a vital decision to swap offensive coordinators, letting Jerry Neuheisel handle play-calling, and it worked.

“I knew Coach Jerry going back to my senior year when UCLA was recruiting me,” Iamaleava said following the Penn State win. “He puts that belief in us that we can go out and execute. He put a great game plan together for us to go out and execute.” This unique calm in the transfer storm could bode well for UCLA’s season. Plus, the Bruins’ recent back-to-back wins are a major promise to their stability.