Joel Klatt previews Big Noon Saturday's Game of the Week: UCLA at Indiana

Joel Klatt will be on the call alongside Gus Johnson and Jenny Taft.

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

FOX's Big Noon Saturday heads to Bloomington this week for UCLA at No. 2 Indiana. The matchup pits one of the sport's most surprising turnarounds against a bona fide contender for the national championship. Joel Klatt will be on the call alongside Gus Johnson and Jenny Taft. 

"When you think about the last month, these two programs have been at the center of two of the best stories in all of college football; Indiana's rise to number 2 [and] UCLA coming back from a disastrous 0-4 start," Klatt said.

UCLA Bruins

UCLA has ripped off three straight wins since naming Tim Skipper interim head coach in mid-September, a span that includes a home upset of then-No. 7 Penn State, a road rout of Michigan State and a last-second win over Maryland. The Bruins' offensive spark has coincided with Jerry Neuheisel taking over play-calling; the former UCLA QB was elevated after the staff shake-up and has leaned into a freer, faster approach around transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Defensively, veteran NFL assistant Kevin Coyle joined the staff on Sept. 22 and assumed defensive play-calling in late September, a late-cycle change that has complicated scouting because there's limited film on his system with this roster.

Indiana Hoosiers

Indiana has the profile of a playoff team under second-year coach Curt Cignetti: the Hoosiers are 7–0, ranked No. 2 and have an elite scoring offense (43.9 PPG) and scoring defense (11.6 PPG). Quarterback Fernando Mendoza has fueled a balanced attack coordinated by Mike Shanahan, while Bryant Haines' defense has been disruptive.

"This Indiana team, this is one of the best teams in the country," Klatt said. "They are balanced. Their quarterback right now is a favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. They've got veteran players that are really good players, in particular on the outside."

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The matchup

UCLA's revived scheme under Neuheisel has practically revived the season for Iamaleava, but Indiana is on a run under Cignetti that is tough to ignore. Klatt is unable to pick the game since he is on the call but there was a major emphasis for both teams. For Indiana, he shined a light on the energy they have going down the homestretch of the season.

"The energy that Curt Cignetti has and his staff is infectious. The belief in themselves, the faith in themselves, all of that... the best word to describe it is infectious."

For UCLA, a team with a ton of momentum heading into Week 9, you would think they have more energy than anybody in the country right now. But, Indiana certainly comes close with a "movement" of sorts happening for them. Klatt pointed at the turnaround in culture for the Bruins and mentioned the freedom that the team now has.

"When I watched the film of the first 4 weeks, and then these last 3 from UCLA, it certainly seems that they are understanding not just the what and how, but the why of what they're trying to do on the offensive side, and it has given them a lot of freedom."

Indiana and UCLA face off at 12:00 PM EST Saturday on FOX.

UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava | Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images