BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Hoosiers On SI is back with its EA Sports College Football 25 simulation after it went on hiatus for a week.

The EA game does not include Football Championship Subdivision teams like Western Illinois. There are generic FCS teams in the game, but we didn’t feel that was worth doing to try to create anything resembling an accurate simulation.

Once reality played out and Indiana earned a dominant 77-3 victory over the Leathernecks, we felt our decision to avoid the simulation was proven to be the right one.

With Indiana entering Big Ten play with its 7:30 p.m. ET trip to UCLA on Saturday, we’re back in the simulation business.

If the simulated version of the game plays out in reality? Indiana fans will be pleased, though not without stress for a time. Falling behind by 17, Indiana rallied to earn a dramatic 24-23 victory. A Nicolas Radicic field goal with 32 seconds left decided it in the Hoosiers’ favor.

Here’s how the game played out. Simulation is done with seven-minute quarters and with the built-in AI controlling both teams.

It’s clear that EA Sports doesn’t have much respect for Indiana’s secondary yet. That was born out early as the Bruins jumped all over the Hoosiers.

UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers found wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant wide-open for a 64-yard touchdown strike on the third play of the game. Lined up in single-coverage against Indiana cornerback Jamier Johnson, Sturdivant just beat him deep for the score.

It’s also clear that EA hasn’t given Indiana’s offensive line much credit yet either. On Indiana’s first series, quarterback Kurtis Rourke was sacked twice. However, the Hoosiers would improve in this department.

Sturdivant caught another touchdown pass – an 8-yarder – and UCLA added a field goal early in the second quarter to take a 17-0 lead. It appeared Indiana would be run right out of virtual Pasadena.

However, the Hoosiers would strike back with their own big plays. Late in the second quarter, Rourke found Myles Price for a 13-yard touchdown catch to put the Hoosiers on the board. After UCLA punted the ball away in the final minute of the half, Indiana hit a home run.

With 20 seconds left in the half, Rourke found Elijah Sarratt for a 41-yard touchdown connection. Sarratt blazed past UCLA cornerback Jaylin Davies in single-coverage on the score.

Down 17-14 at halftime, Indiana needed its defense to provide a chance, and they did. On two second-half drives, UCLA got inside the Indiana 10-yard line, but had to settle for field goals.

The Hoosiers took a 21-20 lead with 4:45 left in the fourth quarter when Price backed down UCLA’s Devin Kirkwood in the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown catch.

After UCLA kicked a field goal with 1:19 left to take a 23-21 lead, Indiana drove for the winning score. The crucial play was a 27-yard reception by Price on 4th-and-10 with 50 seconds left. It set up the 41-yard game-winning field goal by Radicic with 32 seconds left.

UCLA wasn’t done. With five seconds left, they completed a Hail Mary to Titus Mokiao-Atimalala for 55 yards, but he was tackled inbounds and the clock ran out with UCLA in field goal range.

Of course, with any video game, there’s plenty of provisos to go around. Penalties continue to be sparse within the game. The game also can’t accurately replicate Indiana’s multi-pronged running attack. Ty Son Lawton received the majority of the carries.

However, if the simulated game is close to reality? Indiana fans can expect to be happy on Saturday night.

UCLA – J. Michael Sturdivant 64 pass from Ethan Garbers (Mateen Bhaghani kick)

UCLA – Sturdivant 8 pass from Garbers (Bhaghani kick).

UCLA – Bhaghani 51 FG.

IU – Myles Price 13 pass from Kurtis Rourke (Nicolas Radicic kick).

IU – Elijah Sarratt 41 pass from Rourke (Radicic kick).

UCLA – Bhaghani 19 FG.

IU – Price 22 pass from Rourke (Radicic kick).

UCLA – Bhaghani 25 FG.

IU – Radicic 41 FG.

INDIVIDUAL

Passing – IU: Rourke 18-24-0, 275, 3 TD; UCLA: Garbers 18-28-0, 361, 2 TD

Rushing – IU: Ty Son Lawton 12-50, Price 2-13, Kaelon Black 2-2, Justice Ellison 1-1, Rourke 3-(-14); UCLA: T.J Harden 13-58, Keegan Jones 1-7, Garbers 6-3, Logan Loya 1-0,

Receiving – IU: Price 7-109, 2 TD, Sarratt 5-123, 1 TD, Lawton 3-5, Zach Horton 1-25, Black 1-9, Miles Cross 1-4,; UCLA: Sturdivant 4-113, 2 TD, Titus Mokiao-Atimalala 4-99, Kwazi Gilmer 4-36, Moliki Matavao 3-24, Loya 2-71, Harden 1-16.

Sacks – IU: Lanell Carr Jr. 1; UCLA: Grant Buckey 1, Keanu Williams 0.5, Jake Busic 0.5.

Interceptions – none

Forced fumble – UCLA; Oluwafemi Oladejo 1.

Kicking – IU: Radicic 1/1 FG, 3/3 XP; UCLA: Bhaghani 2/2 FG, 2/2 XP.

Punting/Avg. – IU: James Evans 4-44.2; UCLA: Chase Barry 2-42.

Weather – Partly cloudy.

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