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Four seasoned reporters from The Detroit News—Angelique S. Chengelis, Connor Earegood, John Niyo, and Bob Wojnowski—have shared their forecasts for the upcoming Big Ten showdown between Michigan State and UCLA. The game is scheduled for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and will be broadcast on CBS and 760 AM.
Chengelis highlights UCLA's perfect 6-0 record, including a 4-0 mark in conference play, which makes them the only undefeated team in the Big Ten. Despite losing starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava to a season-ending knee injury, the Bruins have maintained their momentum. Backup Ty Dieffenbach led the team to a 17-7 victory over Wisconsin in his first start, and UCLA's rushing attack tops the conference with an average of 231.0 yards per game. The Bruins boast the fourth-ranked offense and seventh-ranked defense in the Big Ten, while Michigan State sits at the bottom in offense and 12th in defense. Chengelis notes that the Spartans (2-5, 0-4) face numerous obstacles, including the cross-country trip, and picks UCLA to win 27-10.
Earegood draws a parallel between UCLA's first-year coach Bob Chesney and Indiana's Curt Cignetti, noting that Chesney has quickly turned the Bruins into a contender. Against a Michigan State team still searching for its first Big Ten win, UCLA is favored by more than two touchdowns. The Bruins' ground game is the best in a conference known for its rushing prowess, and their opportunistic defense could spell trouble for an MSU offense that averages just 21.3 points per game—sixth-worst among Power Four programs and last in the Big Ten. While MSU's defense has been banged up all year, it showed promise with five sacks in a breakthrough performance, but the secondary must step up. Ultimately, Earegood believes the Spartans need to find their resolve in crunch time to pull off the upset. He predicts UCLA wins 24-13.
Niyo admits that few would have predicted UCLA as the lone unbeaten team in the Big Ten come late October, but that's the nature of college football this season. The Bruins possess more blue-chip talent than the Spartans and have allowed just three touchdowns combined in their last three conference games. Even with a backup quarterback in FCS transfer Ty Dieffenbach, UCLA shows no signs of slowing down. They rank in the top five nationally in turnover margin, third-down defense, and time of possession—a formula that should lead to a convincing win over a Michigan State team that hasn't won a Big Ten road game since September 2024. Niyo's pick: UCLA 31-14.
Wojnowski emphasizes that the Spartans' challenges extend beyond the long flight to Los Angeles. Decimated by injuries, they face a UCLA squad that has surged under first-year coach Bob Chesney. The Bruins (6-0) rely on a stout defense and a powerful running game led by Wayne Knight, who averages 6.8 yards per carry. Backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach has been steady, but UCLA is expected to lean heavily on the ground attack. With a favorable schedule, the Bruins are legitimately in the playoff conversation, and it's hard to envision the 2-5 Spartans derailing them. Wojnowski points out that MSU's issues aren't about effort under Pat Fitzgerald; rather, it's a lack of healthy players and game-breaking talent. Back-to-back heartbreaking home losses have taken a toll, and if quarterback Alessio Milivojevic is slowed by injury, the game could get out of hand. His prediction: UCLA 31-13.
Key Analysis
The consensus among the Detroit News panel is clear: UCLA's dominant run game, resilient defense, and overall talent advantage will be too much for a struggling Michigan State team to overcome. The Spartans' injury woes and inability to secure a Big Ten win this season further tilt the odds in the Bruins' favor. With all four analysts picking UCLA, the Spartans face an uphill battle in Pasadena.
Originally reported by yahoo.