Tim Skipper compares UCLA locker room to Mardi Gras after Penn State upset

UCLA interim head coach Tim Skipper couldn’t help but love the postgame locker room after the Bruins upset previously ranked No. 7 Penn State. The 42-37 win at the Rose Bowl was one of the stunners of the weekend.

But coming in at 0-4 and already distant from former coach DeShaun Foster, things weren’t looking good for UCLA at all. But something magical happened Saturday and it was a party afterwards.

Skipper compared the postgame locker room mood to Mardi Gras. We don’t think UCLA will be playing in New Orleans for a big game anytime soon, but they acted like they were out on Bourbon Street.

“Disaster,” Skipper said with a smile. “There’s water flying everywhere, there’s music, there’s guys that can’t dance that are dancing. There’s coaches trying to be dancers. It was exciting to be in there. I mean, some (there have been) Saturday (postgames) have been kind of lonely and sad, and this will be the first Sunday we have (where) we kind of celebrate a little bit and enjoy a victory and then get ready for another tough opponent. But that locker room is probably still going in there. You’d think it’s Mardi Gras or something happening.”

QB Nico Iamaleava had the best game of his UCLA tenure. He threw for 166 yards, two touchdowns and ran for 128 yards and three scores. Skipper made sure to get UCLA out in front with the run game and the Bruins actually led 27-7 at halftime.

“We wanted to control the game,” Skipper said. “That’s why we wanted to run the ball, and it all starts with the big boys up front. They have to control the line of scrimmage. They were creating openings. We know their D-line and linebackers are really really good, so we had to put bodies on those guys. We just wanted to control it one play at a time, just take it one play at a time, and that’s exactly what we did.

“We actually have never talked about not leading for a game, somebody told me about it, that’s how I knew. We never talked about it or anything, we just went out there and played ball today. We just went out there and took the lead, and fortunately for us we kept it.”

UCLA totaled 269 rushing yards and 435 total yards against Penn State. They had to hold off a late rally as the Nittany Lions put up 30 second half points. But in the end, UCLA earned their right to party with Skipper and play caller Jerry Neuheisel leading the charge Saturday.