UCLA fullback Nate Iese (32) celebrates a touchdown with defensive tackle Eli Ankou during the Bruins’ 62-27 win at Arizona State on Sept. 25, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
No. 7 UCLA Bruins (4-0, 1-0) vs. Arizona State Sun Devils (2-2, 0-1)
Kickoff: Saturday, Oct. 3, 4:30 p.m., Rose Bowl
TV: FOX (Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Molly McGrath)
Radio: AM 570 (Bill Roth, Matt Stevens, Wayne Cook)
Scouting report: Has there been a more disappointing team in the Pac-12 than Arizona State? Oregon has an argument after falling on its face against Utah, but the Ducks at least had some good stretches prior to Saturday. A Sun Devils team that Todd Graham billed as his best yet fell from No. 15 to unranked after one game and hasn’t recovered. … Against UCLA, Stanford and USC last year, quarterback Mike Bercovici completed 63 percent of his passes for 1,243 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions. That set up big expectations for his ascension to full-time starter, but against Texas A&M and the Trojans this year, he’s fallen to 55.3 percent for 471 yards, one touchdown and one interception. … ASU ranked top-10 nationally in turnover margin in both 2013 and 2014. So far in 2015, it is stuck down at No. 98, averaging -0.75 per game. The team has already lost seven fumbles after totaling just 10 over the last two seasons.
Series history: UCLA leads the all-time series, 19-11-1, but neither team has held an extended win streak over the other. The Bruins’ longest capped out at four wins (1976, 1979-81), although that did begin a stretch of nine wins in 11 meetings. The most consecutive games ASU has won is three (’95, ’96, ’99).
Key players:
QB Mike Bercovici, RSr., 6-2, 210 — 93/157, 1,071 yards, 7 TD, 2 INT
— His yards per attempt are down a full yard from his junior season to 6.8. That puts him second-to-last among Pac-12 starters, ahead of only Oregon State true freshman Seth Collins (6.1).
RB Demario Richard, So., 5-10, 220 — 70 carries, 429 yards, 4 TD
– The most consistent part of the ASU offense this season, Richard has run for three straight 100-yard games and leads the conference with 614 yards from scrimmage — one ahead of UCLA’s Paul Perkins.
WR D.J. Foster, Sr., 6-4, 213 — 22 catches, 189 yards, 1 TD, 21 carries, 111 yards
– He is only the fourth player in NCAA history to hit 2,000 rushing yards and 2,000 receiving yards in his career. For some reason, he’s gone from 19.7 touches per game to 10.8.
S Jordan Simone, RSr., 6-0, 190 — 37 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 1 sack, 2 INT
— The former walk-on turned himself into an all-conference honorable mention as a junior, and has assumed the role as the team’s leading tackler following Damarious Randall becoming a first-round draft pick.
LB Salamo Fiso, RJr., 6-0, 230 — 36 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 1 sack
– In his third season as a starter, he leads the Pac-12 in tackles for loss and ranks top 10 nationally
Line: UCLA opened as a 13.5-point favorite.
Opponent in GIF form:
Fun fact: