UCLA's forced turnovers have been a lifeline for the 9-0 Bruins
It’s hard to overstate the importance of the turnovers that the UCLA Bruins have forced this season. The team leads the nation with 27 turnovers , no other Power Four team has more than 21 and those turnovers have been crucial to the team’s 9-0 start. Typically, turnovers forced can be a bit streaky, as it often requires a bit of good fortune to force takeaways but the UCLA defense is putting that belief to the test. Defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler has transformed the Bruin defense into a ball-seeking machine and the group hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down. UCLA is averaging three turnovers per game this season but forced only one turnover against Illinois last week when Bruin defensive back Scooter Jackson picked off Drake Lindsey. With UCLA backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach leading the offense, the extra possessions forced by the Bruin defense has become even more important. Even though UCLA hasn’t played in many close games this year (just one game within single-digits), the turnovers are a major part of why. As UCLA concludes their regular season with three challenging opponents, facing Illinois, Michigan and USC, while it’ll be tough to keep up their three turnover per
