The slow start to the UCLA football season has coincided with a gauntlet of three consecutive top-25 opponents — including two that now sit inside the latest Associated Press poll’s top five.

Now on deck Saturday is unranked Minnesota, but the Golden Gophers are coming off a 24-17 win over USC that knocked the Bruins’ rival from 11th to completely out of the top 25.

Minnesota did so with the help of a stingy defense that is the nation’s best against the pass (114 yards allowed per game). Its 10 interceptions are just one behind national leader California and a plus-six turnover margin is tied for 11th.