UCLA returns to the Rose Bowl Saturday to face off against Arizona State. The Bruins are currently riding an undefeated season and a No. 7 national ranking. A win this weekend could catapult them higher in national rankings and secure more mentions in College Football Playoff discussions.
Here’s what Daily Bruin Sports predicts when UCLA kicks off at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
Matthew Joye, football beat writer
UCLA 41, Arizona State 31
It’s hard to predict this game because the Sun Devils could either come into the Rose Bowl with a chip on their shoulder or with a careless attitude. Arizona State was trounced by USC last week, 42-14, which almost certainly extinguished the Sun Devils’ chances for a College Football Playoff berth.
So with that blowout loss – which put Arizona State’s record at a middling 2-2 – the question is: Are the Sun Devils going to mail it in for the rest of the season or keep fighting?
My guess is they’ll keep fighting, as they did last year after they got thrashed 62-27 by UCLA. Arizona State traveled to then-No. 16 USC the very next week and upset the Trojans 38-34 in dramatic fashion.
The thing that will keep the Sun Devils from pulling off another SoCal upset this year is their defense. They’re tied for No. 81 in the country in scoring defense and No. 77 in pass efficiency defense. Combine that with the fact the Arizona State’s offense averages 3.3 fumbles per game, and that will keep the upset out of reach. Don’t be surprised if Arizona State makes a game of it early on though.
Claire Fahy, sports editor and football writer
UCLA 56, Arizona State 13
The Bruins blew out the Sun Devils last season when the teams were on a more even par. This year, UCLA and Arizona State are on opposite ends of the success spectrum, with the Sun Devils posting a 2-2 record as opposed to the Bruins’ 4-0 season start. While UCLA does have a tendency to play down to lower-ranked opponents, its dominance over UNLV three weeks ago should be somewhat of an indicator of the distance the Bruins can put between themselves and their opponents. If UCLA does manage another dominant win this weekend, it could potentially see its national ranking break the top five. This will also be the Bruins’ final opportunity to strengthen their new lineup following three major injuries before UCLA heads to Northern California to take on Stanford Oct. 15.
Tanner Walters, assistant sports editor
UCLA 38, ASU 17
I’m tempted to think of this weekend’s matchup as a trap game – UCLA flying high, Arizona State trudging along – and the chance for an upset is always scary, but I’m not convinced. Sure, the Bruins struggled with their run defense last week against the Wildcats, but I think the Sun Devils’ porous defense will be their own undoing this week. ASU was overrated to start 2015 and one of its many shortcomings that has held it back this season is the rush defense. UCLA, using its deep roster of powerful rushers, should run all over the visiting team Saturday. This is a Bruin team that remains solid even in the face of mounting injuries. Can that change? Yeah, but not this week.
Korbin Placet, assistant sports editor
UCLA 45, ASU 17
The last two weeks I was way off with my predictions. I was wrong about UCLA blowing out BYU, and I was wrong about a narrow Arizona win. I didn’t expect the Cougars shut down freshman quarterback Josh Rosen, and I thought there were too many questions about the Bruin defense after the loss of another starter. I think even after the Arizona game, there are still some things that need to be answered on defense, especially after giving up 353 rushing yards. We can’t do worse than that, right? As far as the offense goes, UCLA is fortunate to be facing off against a struggling ASU team. They are 83rd in rushing defense and 47th in pass yards allowed. The Sun Devils are not elite, but if they don’t allow as many turnovers as they did against USC, then the score could be a lot closer than expected.
Matt Cummings, assistant sports editor
UCLA 45, ASU 24
Another week, another big talent advantage for the Bruins. UCLA won by 35 points in last year’s matchup and might have an even wider edge this year. Star Sun Devil wide receiver Jaelen Strong, who caught 12 passes for 146 yards in last year’s matchup, and top-notch defensive back Damarious Randall are both gone to the NFL. It’s certainly a mismatch on paper. But ASU running back Demario Richard could pose problems for a UCLA defense that’s shown susceptibility to the run, keeping the game close until the second half. Then redshirt junior running back Paul Perkins will take over, carrying the Bruins to a 5-0 record.
