What to watch: No. 13 UCLA at UNLV

Even Las Vegas isn’t looking kindly on its hometown team.

UNLV opened this week as a 28-point underdog to No. 13 UCLA, and as of Saturday morning, the spread has grown to 30.5 points. The Rebels hired former Bishop Gorman coach Tony Sanchez this offseason, turning to the prep ranks in an effort to turn around their years of underachieving performance. And as the bookies know, this is a rebuild that will take quite some time.

Here’s what to watch as the Bruins visit a team that has recorded only one winning season since 2000.

When UCLA has the ball

Josh Rosen stepped into the Rose Bowl for the first time last weekend. Yes, that was a true freshman out there last Saturday, throwing for 351 yards and three touchdowns and looking more like an all-conference quarterback than a teenager fresh out of high school.

UCLA clearly made the right call in picking Rosen over redshirt junior Jerry Neuheisel (318 career yards). Now, the question is this: Can Rosen sustain this level of play for the whole season?

His next test comes at UNLV, which doesn’t strike fear in the hearts of anyone familiar with the college football landscape. This is a team that has struggled for years, and given all the talent and experience surrounding Rosen in UCLA’s offense, it shouldn’t be a close game. Continue reading “What to watch: No. 13 UCLA at UNLV” »

What to watch: No. 13 UCLA vs. Virginia

UCLA football is back.

The Bruins hit the field again at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, just the second time in the last six years that they’ll open their season at the Rose Bowl. Lining up across from them will be Virginia, a struggling program that nevertheless stuck close with UCLA in a 28-20 decision in Charlottesville last year.

This weekend, the Cavaliers enter what could be a do-or-die year for sixth-year coach Mike London, while Jim Mora’s No. 13 squad is eyeing a conference title — or more.

Here’s what to look for on the field.

When UCLA has the ball

For the first time since he’s been in Westwood, offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone won’t have Brett Hundley to operate his scheme.

How quickly can Josh Rosen fill those shoes, and will his style of play result in new wrinkles in the playbook? That question won’t be fully answered in Week 1, but don’t be shocked if the true freshman pulls out a few highlight plays, particularly in the second half. Early on, UCLA will likely hand the ball off to reigning Pac-12 rushing champion Paul Perkins and let him chew up the field behind what should be a stout offensive line. Continue reading “What to watch: No. 13 UCLA vs. Virginia” »

Five things to watch: No. 8/9 UCLA vs. Stanford

With a spot in the Pac-12 Championship on the line, UCLA will try to get its first win against Stanford since 2008. A few things to watch, plus a score prediction …

How will Stanford’s offense fare without Ty Montgomery? First guess is not well. Quarterback Kevin Hogan is the quintessential game manager, one that was more than sufficient for the Cardinal when it had a powerful run game to lean on. Stanford is on track to finish with a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time since 2007; losing its most explosive player to a shoulder injury is only going to limit the offense even further.

Montgomery was Hogan’s most reliable target, and the recipient of more than a quarter of the team’s total receptions. At 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, he would have been a load to bring down once he got into the secondary.

Can UCLA’s defense maintain pressure? Hogan only threw at least 20 passes in seven games last season. This year, he’s already hit that mark in nine games, at topped 30 passes in three straight games in October. Not coincidentally, Stanford lost two of those games, beating only lowly Washington State. Continue reading “Five things to watch: No. 8/9 UCLA vs. Stanford” »

What to watch: No. 9/11 UCLA vs. No. 19/24 USC

It’s finally here. UCLA will kick off against USC at 5 p.m., in a game that could change the tone of the entire season. Here’s what to watch heading into Jim Mora’s attempt at a third straight rivalry win.

UCLA offense vs. USC defense: Once again, UCLA’s fate will depend on how Brett Hundley performs. Headed to the NFL draft after this season, the redshirt junior has a chance to be the first Bruin quarterback to go 3-0 against the Trojans since Cade McNown did. (McNown remains the only one to go a perfect 4-0.)

Hundley’s passing totals in two games against USC won’t blow anyone away: 40 of 57, 442 yards, one touchdown. It’s his legs that have consistently cut through the Trojan defense. Seven times in his career, Hundley has rushed for two touchdowns in a single game. He has just one such performance this season — two weeks ago at Washington — but admitted earlier in the year that he had allowed NFL draft expectations to discourage him from running.

That he’s shed that burden is bad news for USC. Hundley has rushed for two touchdowns each time he’s faced the Trojans, and totaled 80 yards on the ground on 13 carries last season. He only had 18 yards against UW, but had averaged 106 through the four outings prior. Continue reading “What to watch: No. 9/11 UCLA vs. No. 19/24 USC” »

What to watch: No. 18 UCLA at Washington

Despite its sometimes uneven play this season, UCLA has yet to lose away from the Rose Bowl. Of course, the Bruins’ five opponents have a combined record of 22-22. Of those five, only Arizona State (7-1) looks like it could currently knock off UCLA in a rematch.

With the Sun Devils still sitting a game ahead in the Pac-12 South standings, the No. 18 Bruins have little room for error through their final three regular-season contests. A stiff test looms at Washington, which has NFL prospects on the roster but is still looking for its first win over a ranked opponent in the Chris Petersen era.

What to watch for in today’s 4 p.m. kickoff at Husky Stadium:

UCLA offense vs. Washington defense: Washington has collected 37 sacks this season, which gives them more per game than anyone else in the FBS except Utah. The Utes, of course, got 10 of their 39 sacks against UCLA — including three straight to snuff out a drive at UCLA’s own goal line.

Defensive-end-turned-linebacker Hau’oli Kikaha leads the country with 15.5 sacks — 3.5 ahead of Utah’s Nate Orchard, who occupies second place. Fellow Bednarik semifinalist Danny Shelton has 7.5 sacks of his own, which is absurd for a nose tackle. That type of interior pressure will put a heavy burden on UCLA’s offensive guards, who haven’t seen anyone quite like Shelton yet.

The good news for the Bruins is that their offensive line has made dramatic improvements since that 30-28 home loss a month ago. Conor McDermott has stabilized protection on Brett Hundley’s blind side, and the competition at left guard has become deep enough that Malcolm Bunche, Alex Redmond and Kenny Lacy are each getting reps there. UW has gotten at least three sacks in all but one game this season and will likely hit that bar again, but if recent trends are any indication, Hundley won’t get completely battered. (Offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone even said this week that most of the sacks Hundley took last week were coverage sacks, a result of how much defenses have dropped back against him.)

Shaq Thompson is Washington’s biggest defensive playmaker — four touchdowns on fumble and interception returns — and will likely play some linebacker after sticking exclusively at running back against Colorado. Continue reading “What to watch: No. 18 UCLA at Washington” »