Northwestern football vs. UCLA 2025 predictions

Northwestern football plays its second Big Ten contest of the season on Saturday against UCLA. Here’s how the Inside NU staff thinks the game will play out:

Patrick Winograd: Northwestern 23, UCLA 17

Northwestern’s offense did not show any signs of sustaining offensive production in its first two showings against FBS teams (three points against Tulane and 14 against Oregon’s backups), but UCLA’s defense hasn’t shown any ability to stop anyone either (The Bruins have given up 30 points in every game this season. This is a matchup of a very stoppable force and a very movable object. Although neither of these teams will finish in the top half of the Big Ten, the Wildcats’ defense will do just enough to keep UCLA from gaining any momentum, and the offense will do just enough to secure a victory.

Miguel Muñoz:Northwestern 27, UCLA 13

However underwhelming this season may have felt for Northwestern football, trust that it’s been a whole lot worse for Bruin faithful. UCLA has shown very few signs of life, getting stomped by Utah in the opener before a pair of losses to Group of 5 opponents in UNLV and New Mexico. The Bruins are far from ready to compete in the Big Ten this season, and after having just fired head coach DeShaun Foster, they will likely be out of sorts. Enter Northwestern, which needs this win badly to keep hopes of bowl eligibility alive. Coach Braun knows he must respond out of the bye week, and I think he’ll do so in a convincing fashion.

Ascher Levin: Northwestern 27, UCLA 21

This is a very winnable game for Northwestern. UCLA has yet to record a victory this season and recently fired its head coach. While a change can sometimes spark a team to play with renewed energy, the Bruins have been poor on both sides of the ball, allowing 36 points per game while scoring only 14.3. They do have a decent quarterback in Nico Iamaleava. He threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns at Tennessee a season ago, but his game has dipped after controversy over NIL demands. A former five-star recruit, Iamaleava has a big 6-foot-6 frame and some talent, but he hasn’t delivered consistent results. I expect NU’s defense to get more pressure on him than it managed against Oregon. The Bruins also rank 128th nationally in rush defense, ninth worst in the FBS, allowing an eye-popping 244 yards per game on the ground. That sets up well for Northwestern to lean on its run game, wear down UCLA’s front and secure a hard-fought win.

Yanyan Li: Northwestern 21, UCLA 14

Northwestern has a really good opportunity to get its first Big Ten win of the season here. UCLA is coming off back-to-back losses against Group of Five teams in UNLV and New Mexico, with the latter squad defeating the Bruins by 25 points. Not to mention, Saturday will be the first game since Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster was fired, leaving the program all out of sorts as it makes a trip halfway across the country to face Northwestern on the road. The Wildcats haven’t looked the sharpest against FBS schools either, but their run game and defense have impressed me enough to the point where I think they’ll have what it takes to beat a less strong conference opponent.

Adam Sutro: Northwestern 24, UCLA 17

To start its 2025 campaign, Northwestern has definitely struggled to gain traction on the football field, with lackluster losses to Tulane (3-1) and Oregon (4-0). Yet, despite how bad the ‘Cats have looked at times, UCLA has been worse. Considering the Bruins inked Nico Iamaleava for around $2 million in NIL to acquire him from the transfer portal after the former five-star’s drama-filled exit from Tennessee last offseason, it’s fair to say that the quarterback has been a disappointment heretofore. During a shocking 0-3 season start, Iamaleava has posted a brutal 1.0 TD/INT ratio, while his passer rating has dropped 25 points from his ‘24 season with the Volunteers. On a raucous Saturday afternoon at Martin Stadium, a low-confidence Iamaleava will struggle to overcome an underrated Wildcats passing defense, which has held its opponents to just 153.0 passing yards per game (7th in Big Ten). If the ‘Cats can minimize turnovers and control unforced errors, I foresee a Northwestern victory.

Charlie Jacobs:Northwestern 31, UCLA 17

This is one of two remaining games I see on Northwestern’s schedule as not just a must-win, but also close to a penciled-in win. UCLA is not very good. The Bruins have already fired their coach as one of two FBS teams to do so (Virginia Tech). They are also giving up 36.0 points per game, the 10th most in the country. While the ‘Cats don’t necessarily have the same offensive power that other teams UCLA has faced have, the Bruins are giving up 244.0 rushing yards per game. NU needs to control this game on the ground, and I believe that will be the case.

Drew Christmann: Northwestern 21, UCLA 14 

The season hasn’t played out as Cats’ fans expected, but it’s been much worse for UCLA fans. The Bruins have yet to achieve their first win and are already without a head coach, dismissing DeShaun Foster just three games into his second season. The defensive miscues are a big reason behind the firing, as the Bruins are allowing 36.0 points/game (#115 in CFB) and matching that with just 14.0 points/game on offense (#122). Tennessee transfer Nico Iamaleava has also struggled since arriving in LA, with a TD:INT ratio of 1.0 and the worst passer rating of his three-year college career. The Cats’ passing defense will need to take advantage of the shaken QB whenever possible and trust Preston Stone and the offense to turn those opportunities into points and limit the turnovers themselves. If that happens, it’s likely we see Northwestern take home its first Big Ten win of the season come Saturday.

Matt Campbell: Northwestern 14, UCLA 0

Between quarterback struggles and faltering game scripts, it’s a good bet to predict that this game will be won on the ground. For Northwestern, Caleb Komolafe has excelled in his expanded role as RB2, especially after Cam Porter’s season-ending leg injury. After outrushing Oregon on the ground, I’m sure David Braun is confident in his running back room besting a UCLA front seven that allowed nearly 300 yards of rushing offense to New Mexico. On the flip side, the Bruins are at a crossroads with their offensive production. Nico Iamaleava hasn’t been the transfer the college football world thought he would be, ranking second-to-last in QBR amongst Big Ten quarterbacks. Many counterarguments would point toward the fact that Stone is the only QB that ranks below Iamaleava, but the difference between both teams is as such: Northwestern can rely on the running backs. UCLA cannot.

The Bruins also rank in the conference’s bottom four in rushing yards per game (122.0), averaging 3.1 yards per carry against teams that haven’t been great with scheming against Power Four opponents in recent history. Northwestern outmatches UCLA on both sides of the ball, and will use their most productive offensive players – names like Komolafe, Himon, Caleb Tiernan, and Jackson Carsello to batter, bully, and break the Bruins, capitalizing on the first of two extremely winnable games.

Calvin Kaplan: Northwestern 24, UCLA 14

This one could get ugly for UCLA. As other writers have mentioned, the Bruins are reeling, unable to sustain defensive production or a consistent passing day from Iamaleava. Furthermore, in its first contest with an interim head coach, I don’t see UCLA moving the ball particularly well on offense as a whole. While the ‘Cats will likely struggle in this regard as well, they should be able to win the field position battle and perhaps force a turnover or two. NU could easily lose this game if things go wrong, but it should certainly be favored to come out on top. 

Pierson Strandquist: Northwestern 27, UCLA 17

This feels like a prove-it game for both sides, one that could just as easily turn into a shootout as it could get real ugly. I’m splitting the difference with a scoreline right in the middle, though it’s a must-win for Northwestern no matter how they get there. As is often the case, coaching and quarterback play will decide it. Nico Iamaleava could be headed for a redshirt if the Bruins don’t start winning, while Preston Stone has to stack touchdowns to rediscover the confidence he flashed at SMU. Northwestern OC Zach Lujan opened the Oregon game with a surprisingly sharp script, but overaggressiveness through the air derailed things. Expect a more conservative start this time, with Caleb Komolafe and Joe Himon II both looking to build on their 50-yard outings from last week. For UCLA, anything is better than hitting rock bottom against New Mexico, and even the 17 points I’m predicting would count as progress for interim HC Tim Skipper’s group.