We open as 4.5 point favorites. Considering home teams usually get an additional 3 point bump, we are essentially in a toss up game. It's an almost impossible game to predict since we know pretty much nothing about Arizona based on their non-conference schedule (I think they are the only Power 5 team to not have played a Power 5 opponent thus far). Plus, they, like UCLA, have suffered a lot of big injuries. Last 2 games against them have come down to the final minutes, no reason to think it won't be similar this time around.
I have watched part of every game of theirs this season, so here's my initial take:
The most important unit to determine this game is UCLAs defense. As always, this game will be won/lost in the trenches. UA has an inexperienced OL, so I think our DL can control them. Nick Wilson is the key. Rich Rod uses the running game to open up the passing game for Solomon...when Solomon is asked to carry the team with his arm, he tends to make a lot of mistakes. If Wilson goes off, we're in trouble. Also, their WRs are GREAT though. So much speed and explosiveness. They have about 3 or 4 #1 WRs and they spread it out a lot. Our CBs need to play about 1000x better to keep them locked up, and honestly, after yesterday I'm not sure they are up to the task. Arizona might be able to score 3 or 4 TDs through the air. But if Wilson is held in check (I'd say anything under 80 yards is a win), their offense becomes one-dimensional and they will make mistakes.
On the other side of the ball, Zona hasn't been able to stop anyone this season. Even NAU put up yards on them. Without Scooby, their front 7 struggles as their LBs are not great athletes, so I think we can run on them. They will bring pressure and they will blitz to force Rosen to make mistakes, and as usual their DBs are super physical and tough. They love their athletes on the back end, and we lack the vertical playmakers to challenge them deep, so they will try to shrink the field on D and force UCLA to break big plays to beat them. If Mazzone can spread them out a little and get their LBs running side to side, then we can grind them out up front where they are weakest. I worry if this becomes a shootout...If Zona goes up early like BYU did, they have the ability to blow us out. Their offense is just straight up more explosive and operates at a higher octane level than ours, and Rosen cannot hang with Solomon in a one-on-one bout (not at this stage...maybe next year).
Overall, to me this is a 50/50 game and will come down to the wire. I'm thinking somewhere like 31-30 but I don't have a strong feeling about who comes out on top.
Thoughts from anyone who has watched UA a lot?
I have watched part of every game of theirs this season, so here's my initial take:
The most important unit to determine this game is UCLAs defense. As always, this game will be won/lost in the trenches. UA has an inexperienced OL, so I think our DL can control them. Nick Wilson is the key. Rich Rod uses the running game to open up the passing game for Solomon...when Solomon is asked to carry the team with his arm, he tends to make a lot of mistakes. If Wilson goes off, we're in trouble. Also, their WRs are GREAT though. So much speed and explosiveness. They have about 3 or 4 #1 WRs and they spread it out a lot. Our CBs need to play about 1000x better to keep them locked up, and honestly, after yesterday I'm not sure they are up to the task. Arizona might be able to score 3 or 4 TDs through the air. But if Wilson is held in check (I'd say anything under 80 yards is a win), their offense becomes one-dimensional and they will make mistakes.
On the other side of the ball, Zona hasn't been able to stop anyone this season. Even NAU put up yards on them. Without Scooby, their front 7 struggles as their LBs are not great athletes, so I think we can run on them. They will bring pressure and they will blitz to force Rosen to make mistakes, and as usual their DBs are super physical and tough. They love their athletes on the back end, and we lack the vertical playmakers to challenge them deep, so they will try to shrink the field on D and force UCLA to break big plays to beat them. If Mazzone can spread them out a little and get their LBs running side to side, then we can grind them out up front where they are weakest. I worry if this becomes a shootout...If Zona goes up early like BYU did, they have the ability to blow us out. Their offense is just straight up more explosive and operates at a higher octane level than ours, and Rosen cannot hang with Solomon in a one-on-one bout (not at this stage...maybe next year).
Overall, to me this is a 50/50 game and will come down to the wire. I'm thinking somewhere like 31-30 but I don't have a strong feeling about who comes out on top.
Thoughts from anyone who has watched UA a lot?
