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Following a convincing win over Purdue, top-ranked Ohio State will return home to take on UCLA at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15.

Ohio State is 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the Big Ten. The Bruins are 3-6 overall and 3-3 in the conference.

Here are our predictions for Saturday's Ohio State-UCLA game:

Ohio State vs. UCLA predictions

Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State 42, UCLA 10. The Bruins have crashed back to reality following a midseason revival led by interim coach Tim Skipper, who guided them to three consecutive wins in October, including an upset of Penn State. Don’t expect the Buckeyes to put up 56 points as Indiana did when it hosted UCLA three weeks ago. They continue to use a slow pace on offense and seem less interested in amassing style points. But the gap between the teams is every bit as wide. 

Rob Oller, Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State 42, UCLA 7. It's been a roller coaster season for the Bruins, who began by going 0-4, then shocked Penn State and won twice more before falling back toward earth. The descent continues in the Horseshoe, where the Buckeyes put together their best combo run-pass game of the season to send the Left Coasters home unhappy.

Brianna Mac Kay, Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State 45, UCLA 10. While the Bruins made waves when they defeated Penn State 42-37 earlier this season, the win has become lost significance in hindsight following Penn State's collapse. With UCLA's opponents averaging just over 30 points per game this season, the Buckeyes should find ways to get the offense rolling for a high-scoring game.

Dan Aulbach, Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State 38, UCLA 7. The Bruins have allowed the second-most points per game (30.7), the fourth-most total yards per game (344.6) and the second-most rushing yards per game (191.1) among Big Ten teams. In place of an injured Dylan Raiola, Cornhuskers backup quarterback TJ Lateef threw the ball only 15 times and topped 200 passing yards with three passing touchdowns, while running back Emmett Johnson topped 200 scrimmage yards. I'm expecting a full offensive showcase from Ohio State, which featured its most efficient run-game performance against Purdue last week.

Ohio State vs. UCLA scouting report: What we're watching

Joey Kaufman: Nico Iamaleava makes his return to Ohio Stadium, where he faced the Buckeyes in December while playing for Tennessee in the first round of the College Football Playoff. He’s been a more frequent runner at UCLA, amassing 474 rushing yards that are the second-most among Big Ten quarterbacks this season. Iamaleava’s mobility is good litmus test for a defense that is only two weeks away from facing a dual-threat in Michigan freshman Bryce Underwood. They passed their first test in September holding Washington's Demond Williams Jr. to minus-28 rushing yards.

Rob Oller: The Bruins couldn't stop a running back if their life depended on it. Ditto their passing defense. Put it together and you have Ohio State rushing for its most yards this season − it won't reach 300 yards but 250 is well within reach − and Julian Sayin throwing bull's-eye darts to pretty much any receiver he chooses.

Brianna Mac Kay: UCLA's rushing defense is ranked 124th in the country, allowing 191.1 yards per game, giving freshman running back Bo Jackson an opportunity to have another breakout performance. Jackson's season-high performance came when he ran 108 yards against Grambling State, but the freshman has been creeping back toward that number the last two games in Big Ten play. So, can he top it against UCLA?

Dan Aulbach: The Buckeyes contained Iamaleava well in the first round of the 2024 CFP against Tennessee, limiting him to just over 100 passing yards with a 45% completion rate and 47 rushing yards on 20 rushing attempts. Ohio State has a different coordinator and different personnel, but it boasts the best defense in college football by nearly five points (7.22 points per game allowed). Ohio State's linebacker wrecking crew of Arvelle Reese and Sonny Styles should be up to the task against Iamaleava's elite running ability.

Ohio State vs. UCLA score predictions

Joey Kaufman: Ohio State 42, UCLA 10

Rob Oller: Ohio State 42, UCLA 7

Brianna Mac Kay: Ohio State 45, UCLA 10

Dan Aulbach: Ohio State 38, UCLA 7

Bold predictions

The Buckeyes go over 200 rushing yards

Joey Kaufman: The Buckeyes have not surpassed 200 rushing yards against a Big Ten opponent this season, but they’ll reach that mark against the Bruins, who rank 124th in the Football Bowl Subdivision in rush defense, giving up 191 rushing yards per game. In losses to Indiana and Utah, the two ranked teams they have played this year, they allowed a combined 548 yards. After some improvement in recent weeks, the Buckeyes will take a big step forward. 

Bo Jackson averages 6.0 yards per carry

Rob Oller: Ohio State's young tailback has to be licking his chops facing the 124th-ranked run defense in the country. Jackson, and the run game, is rounding into form at just the right time as November weather decends on Columbus.

Buckeyes hold Nico Iamaleava to less than 100 yards passing

Brianna Mac Kay: Since transferring to UCLA, Iamaleava has recorded at least 100 passing yards every game, even in the Bruins' 56-6 loss to Indiana. The Buckeyes have already proved they can contain Iamaleava's passing game against Tennessee during the College Football Playoff last year, holding him to 104 yards and zero passing touchdowns. This year's Ohio State defense has only improved, and could give Iamaleava even more trouble.

Bo Jackson tallies a rushing touchdown of 50 yards or more

Dan Aulbach: Jackson is averaging 6.67 yards per carry in his past two games. He had a 70-yard touchdown on his first carry of the game against Purdue before the play got called back due to an illegal block from Jeremiah Smith. Regardless, Jackson looks comfortable and has not carried the ball fewer than 10 times since his second game of the season against Ohio. He's simply due for a big play against a subpar UCLA rush defense.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State vs UCLA football predictions: Will Buckeyes roll again?

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