Time For UCLA's Week 5 Clash With Northwestern Revealed

Following this week's bye, the Bruins have a noon matchup with the Wildcats in Evanston.

Sep 12, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) warms up before the game against the New Mexico Lobos at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Following what will likely be a long bye week for the UCLA Bruins (0-3, 0-0 Big Ten), a road matchup against Northwestern to open up Big Ten Conference play awaits.

The Bruins will be enduring some notable change until that matchup on Sept. 27. The dismissal of second-year head coach DeShaun Foster is ushering in a transitional era under interim head coach Tim Skipper.

Aug 30, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster following the loss against the Utah Utes at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The game time for UCLA's Week 5 matchup in Evanston, Ill, was announced to be at 12:30 p.m. PT. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

Game time locked in 🔒

🆚: Northwestern
⏰: 12:30 p.m. (PT)
📍: Evanston, Ill.#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/IpVtYE6UuQ

— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) September 15, 2025

The Bruins' game against the Wildcats is one of the most important of the season. Not only will it be the first game under Skipper, it's arguably on of UCLA's easiest conference opponents this season. If they don't want to make a 0-12 season a reality (which is growing more possible by the day), then the Bruins need to handle business against Northwestern.

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Meet Tim Skipper

Nov 30, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs head coach Tim Skipper during the second quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Skipper was brought on in mid-July after serving as Fresno State's interim head coach for the 2024 season. With that being said, let's get to know Skipper.

Skipper was named Fresno State's interim head coach just over a year ago after then-head coach Jeff Tedford announced he would be stepping down. He joined the staff back in 2021 as a linebackers coach and was moved up to assistant coach for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

In 2024, despite taking over at the helm just a few weeks before the start of camp, he led the Bulldogs to a respectable 6-7 record and led the program to its fourth bowl game in four years. He also coached them to a 37-10 Isleta New Mexico Bowl win against the New Mexico State Aggies in 2023, giving him a 7-7 record with Fresno State.

Nov 30, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs head coach Tim Skipper talks to his players during a timeout in the fourth quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Prior to his latest stint with Fresno State, he was the assistant head coach and linebackers coach for Central Michigan in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, the defensive coordinator for UNLV in the 2018-19 season, linebackers and running backs coach for Florida from 2015-18, assistant head coach and linebackers coach for Colorado State from 2012-14, linebackers/defensive run game coordinator and running backs coach for Fresno State from 2006-08 and 2009-11, defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator for Sacramento State from 2003-05, and the defensive backs coach and coordinator for Western New Mexico from 2001-02.

Skipper was also a linebacker for the Bulldogs from 1997-2000.

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