This Star Injury Changes Everything For UCLA vs. Nebraska

The UCLA Bruins (3-5, 3-2 Big Ten) are through with their second and final bye of the season and are ramping up for the Nebraska Cornhuskers this week, but the matchup is going to be drastically different than they thought it would be going into the weekend.

Star Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola will be out for this weekend's Rose Bowl clash and for the remainder of the season after suffering a broken right fibula in the Huskers' 21-17 loss to USC on Saturday.

Raiola threw 10-of-15 for 91 yards and a touchdown against the Trojans before going down on a sack early in the third quarter. True freshman backupp quarterback TJ Lateef took the reins after Raiola went down and the Cornhuskers conceeded a lead to lose the game.

Raiola was having a quality season, tossing 18 touchdowns and 2,000 yards on 72.4% completion percentage. The sophomore signal-caller was sure to be UCLA's first name on the scouting report, but now the Bruins are hosting a true freshman thrower while their defense has been rising consistently.

What Raiola Injury Means for UCLA

ucl — Nov 2, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) hands the ball off to running back Dante Dowdell (23) against the UCLA Bruins during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Even without Raiola, Saturday's clash against Nebraska isn't going to be easy. ESPN Analytics gives the Bruins just a 31.8% chance to win the game.

It isn't the longest odds in a game for UCLA this season, looking back on its upset win against No. 7 Penn State over a month ago. Nebraska has a tremendous running back, Emmett Johnson, who has rushed for 1,002 yards and 10 touchdowns on 175 carries through nine games this season.

Lateef, a Compton, California, native, was one of the top signal-callers in the nation at Orange Lutheran High School, where he threw for more than 6,500 yards and scored 66 total touchdowns in three seasons at the school.

ucl — Sep 13, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback TJ Lateef (14) scrambles against the Houston Christian Huskies during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

In three appearances this season, Lateef has completed 16 of 19 passes for 261 yards and one touchdown. In his college football debut against Akron, he tossed for 128 yards on 6-of-7 passing. A week later, he appeared against Houston Christian and complete all five of his pass attempts for 126 yards and a touchdown.

UCLA's defense has been consistently improving since interim head coach Tim Skipper brought on senior defensive analyst Kevin Coyle, allowing 28 opponent points per game over five games. Two of those games included giving up 37 in a win against the Nittany Lions and 56 while being completely outmatched in all facets against the Hoosiers last week.

ucl — Oct 25, 2025; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive back Key Lawrence (4) celebrates after a play during the first half against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

The Bruins will have had two weeks to gameplan for Nebraska, the second week being without Raiola. This week is important if Skipper adn his squad want to hold on to the prospect of attaining bowl eligibility after starting the season 0-4.

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What Raiola Injury Means for UCLA

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