Can UCLA get its Big Ten breakthrough? Five things to watch against Rutgers

They played “The Sopranos” theme song at UCLA practice this week, a nod to the Bruins’ first game in New Jersey in the school’s 105 years of football.

If UCLA doesn’t beat reeling Rutgers in the land of the wiseguys, the Bruins can probably forget about it when it comes to being given a pass for their first Big Ten season.

Next up on the schedule are Nebraska (5-1), Iowa (4-2) and Washington (4-3), each probably a double-digit favorite against UCLA.

That makes the Bruins’ game against the Scarlet Knights on Saturday at SHI Stadium an even more essential part of their salvage operation. Part I didn’t go so well last weekend, UCLA failing to pick up a late first down or make a final defensive stop during a 21-17 loss to Minnesota at the Rose Bowl that represented a fifth consecutive defeat.

But injury-ravaged Rutgers (4-2 overall, 1-2 Big Ten) provides another opportunity for UCLA (1-5, 0-4) to notch its first victory since a season-opening triumph over Hawaii. The Scarlet Knights have lost two consecutive games, scoring a combined 14 points during losses to Nebraska and Wisconsin, and could be missing several top players.

Here are five things to watch during a game starting at 9 a.m. PDT on FS1:

UCLA may be on the verge of making some history, though not the kind anyone would want to put in a scrapbook.

The Bruins’ average of 14.5 points per game is their lowest since they averaged the same figure in 1964 under coach Bill Barnes while going 4-6. The last time UCLA went six games into a season without scoring at least 20 points per game was in 1963 under Barnes, when the Bruins finished 2-8 while averaging 9.6 points per game. (It took UCLA eight games to reach 20 points that season, the Bruins finally “breaking through” during a 48-21 loss to Air Force.)

The three primary culprits this season have been an inert run game, questionable play calling from offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and quarterback Ethan Garbers logging more than twice as many interceptions (nine) as touchdown passes (four).

None of the numbers are good. UCLA’s total offense (272.8 yards per game) ranks No. 130 out of 133 major college teams, its rushing offense (59.5 yards per game) ranks No. 131 and its scoring offense ranks No. 132.

Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano

(Associated Press)

The words sounded familiar. The speaker might surprise you.

“They didn’t execute the details the way we needed them executed,” the coach said.

Was it the lament of UCLA’s DeShaun Foster?

Nope. It was Rutgers’ Greg Schiano after his team was bulldozed by Wisconsin at home last weekend. Of course, Schiano added that those shortcomings were a result of subpar coaching, a theme echoed by Foster after saying his team’s lack of discipline was “on me.”

The question now is which coach can do the best job of pulling his team back together. Foster’s game management came under fire again last week when he declined to call a timeout late in the first half after stopping Minnesota. The Bruins ran out of time on their next drive and had to kick a field goal on third down.

UCLA running back T.J. Harden

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

For a second consecutive week, UCLA has a chance to make a run for it.

The Bruins stumbled a week ago in their attempt to revive their run game against an average defense, rushing for just 36 yards in 26 carries — a paltry average of 1.4 yards. Not even the addition of Tavake Tuikolovatu as a sixth offensive lineman on a handful of plays made much of a difference.

Rutgers’ run defense is considerably worse than Minnesota’s, giving up 182.8 yards per game on the ground to rank No. 110 nationally. Last week, Wisconsin stomped the Scarlet Knights for 309 rushing yards.

Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai.

(Vera Nieuwenhuis / Associated Press)

Rutgers’ offense will go as far as running back Kyle Monangai takes it. That’s often to the end zone.

The senior running back has scored seven touchdowns and is averaging 5.5 yards per carry, often refusing to go down after initial contact.

“If you see it on tape, a lot of guys are just trying to take their shot and trying to hit him and they’re not wrapping up,” Foster said. “So the key is you’ve got to wrap him up.”

Monangai will face a UCLA run defense that’s rounded into one of the best in the nation, giving up just 92.5 yards per game to rank No. 13 in the country.

UCLA wide receiver Rico Flores Jr. tries to avoid being tackled by Oregon’s Kobe Savage.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

UCLA is expected to be without left tackle Reuben Unije for a third consecutive game after he underwent surgery for an unspecified injury that could end his season.

Wide receiver Rico Flores Jr. could be considered questionable after Foster revealed this week that Flores has been trying to play through a preseason injury that’s limited him to four games.

“We’re just trying to make sure that he’s feeling solid to get back out there,” Foster said of the transfer from Notre Dame who has missed the last two games, “but he for sure wants to play.”

Rutgers could be even more shorthanded. Already missing cornerback Robert Longerbeam and linebacker Tyreem Powell against Wisconsin, a phalanx of Scarlet Knights went down during the game against the Badgers. Defensive end Aaron Lewis, tight end Kenny Fletcher, running back Samuel Brown and safety Flip Dixon left with injuries, and Schiano declined to address their status this week.

“We’re not in a great spot with our health right now,” Schiano told reporters.