RB Jalen Berger’s outstanding performance and UCLA’s back-to-back victories have turned HC Tim Skipper into an overnight success story. The Bruins put on a dominant 38-13 display at Spartan Stadium. The victory was a sigh of relief for a team that had looked hopeless a few weeks back. Skipper couldn’t hold back his happiness, even taking some subtle shots at James Franklin in his post-match press conference.

“Every time you go on the road, there are all these built-in excuses that you can use. Especially here, we went three time zones over, it’s an early kickoff, it’s their homecoming … at the end of the day, once you tee it up, it’s ball on ball.” This comment was a pretty clear jab at James Franklin, who ended up using these excuses post the UCLA loss. “Obviously, we did not handle last week’s loss (to Oregon) well. We also lost some players in that game during the week. And then everything else…the travel, everything else…Did not come out with the right energy to start the game, and before you know it, they get a touchdown drive and an onside kick, and now you’re fighting,” Franklin said.

The PSU HC forgot to add Nico Iamaleava to his list of problems. Maybe the HC wanted to forget the man responsible for handing him that loss. Something to remember is that UCLA came into this match with a 0-4 record. Listing travel as a reason for the loss makes it seem like an excuse. After all, PSU is not the only team that travels to play games.

The excuse also discredits UCLA’s performance, which might be the reason why Tim Skipper made the mocking comment. If travel fatigue were such an issue, how did they make it close in the fourth quarter of the game at all? Well, Tim Skipper will now look past those comments, as his team proved today that the win against the Nittany Lions was not a fluke.

A win over MI State will be a boost for Tim Skipper and UCLA

Six games into the season, UCLA finally looks like it has hit its stride. After a winless four-game start, they finally won consecutive matches. UCLA’s last week’s win over Penn State was initially dismissed as an off night for the Nittany Lions, but the Bruins proved everyone wrong after the win against the Spartans. The Bruins dominated the game, winning 38-13.

The Spartans’ faithful would’ve been relieved after the game was concluded. Relieved that they didn’t have to watch their side get absolutely smashed at home any longer. After the early TD from QB Aidan Chiles, it all went downhill for the Spartans. UCLA’s offense exposed all the gaps in the Spartans’ defense. Iamaleava was precise in his passing with three passing touchdowns. But he was not the only standout performer for the Bruins.

A familiar face returned to the Spartan Stadium. But the emotional moment quickly turned into a nightmare for the home fans. Jalen Berger put up big numbers against his former team. It did not feel like a return, but rather a statement. He rushed for 89 yards on 12 carries and caught three passes for 24 yards. He was also instrumental in scoring for UCLA, providing one rushing and two receiving touchdowns.

Thanks to him, Nico Iamaleava only had to focus on piercing the Spartans’ defense with passing. Nico completed 16 out of 24 throws with no interceptions. He was also influential in two of Jalen’s TDs, making them a deadly duo on the night. Their chemistry kept MI State’s defense in check. Thanks to them, Tim Skipper will not have to think about the game the next day. He can now fully focus on next week against Maryland, which should be a fairly easy matchup for the Bruins.