PASADENA, Calif. — Michigan State heads west on a five-game losing streak and meets one of the nation’s few unbeaten teams Saturday, when the Spartans face No. 9 UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Eastern.
The Spartans opened with home wins over Toledo and Eastern Michigan, then dropped games to Notre Dame, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Illinois in overtime and Northwestern by three points last week.
UCLA sits at 6-0 and 4-0 in Big Ten play under coach Bob Chesney, a year after a 3-9 finish. The Bruins lead the conference in rushing at 231 yards per game and have run for 21 touchdowns. Ty Dieffenbach makes his second start at quarterback with Nico Iamaleava out for the year after knee surgery.
Michigan State coach Pat Fitzgerald is dealing with injuries. Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic and running back Jaziun Patterson were both questionable midweek, backup quarterback Cam Fancher will miss the game with a hurt knee, and top back Cam Edwards was hurt last month.
It is the first meeting between the programs in Pasadena since UCLA won the 1966 Rose Bowl game, 14-12.
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