UCLA vs. Indiana Picks and Prediction, Saturday, October 25, 2025
Use Code WWWC On Saturday, the UCLA Bruins will play the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium in Week 9 NCAAF action. The Hoosiers are 25-point spread favorites, and the game total is 54.5 points scored. The Big Ten battle is scheduled for noon ET.
This UCLA vs. Indiana prediction highlights a Bruins squad that has reeled off three consecutive victories and a Hoosiers team that is undefeated and ranked second in the nation. Saturday's game marks the second all-time meeting between UCLA and IU on the gridiron. The Hoosiers beat the Bruins 42-13 last season in Pasadena.
Do you need a boost in your handicapping? Try our NCAAF Predictions.
UCLA has turned its season around
UCLA (3-4 SU, 3-4 ATS, and 2-5 O/U) defeated Maryland 20-17 as four-point spread favorites at home last game. The Bruins have beaten UMD, Michigan State, and Penn State in their previous three games, rebounding from a 0-4 start to the college football season.
Get Free $30 Credit for Premium Picks + Exclusive Discounts
Subscribe Now
UCLA has made a surprising turnaround since firing head coach DeShaun Foster and parting ways with offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri, rising to a seven-way tie for second place in the Big Ten football standings. Wins over the Nittany Lions and Spartans were unexpected, but the Bruins didn't flinch as favorites last week, either. While limited to just one score through the first three quarters, UCLA wasn't bothered, taking down the Terrapins with 13 points in the fourth. Sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava passed for 221 yards and led three scoring drives in the final six minutes, including a 23-yard field goal with two seconds left that sealed the win. The Bruins committed three turnovers and overcame a knee injury suffered by Iamaleava, but they were resilient.
“I think it's all about belief, (and) the guys believe,” UCLA interim head coach Tim Skipper said. “There's nothing that happened throughout the game that's going to take our confidence away, and you don't really know that until you get in a tight game like that. I found out today that these guys believe.”
The Tennessee transfer Iamaleava has turned his season around after a rough start (156.5 passing yards/game and three INTs in the first four games), tossing seven touchdowns and rushing for three scores in UCLA's last three games. He has completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 1,355 yards (6.5 YPA) and leads the team with 360 rushing yards (4.9 YPC). Four Bruins have rushed for at least 220 yards, and three pass-catchers have recorded 200-plus receiving yards.
UCLA scores 22.4 points per game (107th) and averages 364.6 total yards (91st), including 193.6 passing yards (102nd) and 171.0 rushing yards (51st). The Bruins' defense allows 27.4 points (93rd) and 364.9 total yards (68th) per game, including 178.9 passing yards (25th) and 186.0 rushing yards (117th).
UCLA Bruins Football Injury Report: QB Nico Iamaleava is probable, and RB Anthony Woods is questionable to play against Indiana.
Indiana can no longer be overlooked
Indiana (7-0 SU, 4-3 ATS, and 4-3 O/U) beat Michigan State 38-13 last Saturday, failing to cover as 26-point spread favorites. The Hoosiers lead the Big Ten with a 4-0 conference record, taking down MSU, Oregon, Iowa, and Illinois.
Indiana started slow but turned it on mid-way through the second quarter last weekend, taking care of business against MSU. The Spartans scored first and led 10-7 early in the second quarter, but the Hoosiers piled it on after that, outscoring the visitors 31-3, with Michigan State's only points coming with 33 seconds remaining. Junior QB Fernando Mendoza was uber-efficient (24-for-28 passing with 332 yards and four touchdowns), leading IU to its second consecutive victory in the series to hold on to the Old Brass Spittoon trophy. The Hoosiers have now won four of their last six games against the Spartans after losing 17 of the previous 20 matchups.
"This is the sharpest we've seen him up to this point in a game," Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said of Mendoza. "And he continues to improve. He continues to prepare like nobody I've ever been around. He's getting better and better."
The Cal transfer Mendoza leads the Hoosiers' offense with 1,755 passing yards and a 21:2 TD:INT ratio. He has completed 73.5 percent of his passes, averaging 9.7 yards per attempt. Mendoza's top receiving targets are senior WR Elijah Sarratt (43 receptions for 603 yards and nine TDs) and junior WR Omar Cooper Jr. (37 receptions for 581 yards and seven TDs). Senior RBs Kaelon Black (72 carries for 439 yards and three scores) and Roman Hemby (90 carries for 432 yards and two TDs) pace the IU run game.
Indiana scores 43.9 points per game (4th) and averages 497.3 total yards (7th), including 271.3 passing yards (32nd) and 226.0 rushing yards (13th). The Hoosiers' defense surrenders 11.6 points (4th) and 248.7 total yards (7th) per game, including 163.7 passing yards (15th) and 85.0 rushing yards (7th).
Indiana Hoosiers Football Injury Report: No new injuries to report for Saturday's game against UCLA.
UCLA vs. Indiana Pick
Spread Pick for UCLA vs. Indiana
- Hoosiers -25 (4 Units)
The Bruins have won three straight, but they haven't been as successful since their 35-point showing against Penn State. They had a success rate of just 41 percent last game against Maryland, and Iamaleava's completion percentage has dropped from 71 percent against PSU to 60 percent against UMD. IU's defense makes its opponents work hard to score (3rd in opposing points per drive), as evidenced by their performance against Oregon. They put consistent pressure on the QB (14th in pressure rate) and get off the field on third down (5th in third down defense).
On the other side of the ball, Mendoza has been a surgeon dissecting opposing defenses. His completion rate is sky high, and he's coming off his best performance of the season. The Bruins rarely get after the quarterback (136th in pressure rate) and struggle to get stops on third down (135th). They're also ranked 120th in opponent points per drive. I expect the Hoosiers to get the football out quickly to their playmakers and effectively mix in the run.
This is a large spread, and while I'm sure plenty of folks will want to consider a hot UCLA team to cover, I won't. Indiana hasn't shied away from piling on the points under Cignetti, and I don't expect that to change on Saturday.
Over/Under Pick for UCLA vs. Indiana
- Under 54.5 (4 Units)
The Bruins could struggle to move the chains against this Hoosiers defense. The switch to Jerry Neuheisel has helped, but they haven't been as effective since their upset of Penn State. With three games of tape to examine, Indiana should be better prepared for the UCLA attack than MSU and UMD were. I also feel confident that the Hoosiers will coast to a victory, allowing them to bleed the game clock after halftime. They rank 11th in rushing success and 6th in average time of possession this season. They'll have their fair share of explosive plays in the first half, but they'll be comfortable running the football to sustain longer drives in the second half.
Indiana will win big and cover the spread, but UCLA won't give them enough of a fight to push the total over 54 points.
Betting on College Football?
- Bet with other College Football fans at the best sportsbooks
- Sign up today and get started with the latest college football sportsbook promos
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
New Users – Bet $5 Get $200 in Bet Reset Tokens for 5 Days
