UCLA (8-4) makes its bowl appearance at the Foster Farms Bowl in Santa Clara this weekend, facing Big Ten foe Nebraska (5-7). The Bruins have won two straight bowl games for the first time since the early 1990s, and will be looking to extend their winning streak.
Here’s what Daily Bruin Sports predicts when UCLA kicks off at 6:15 p.m. Saturday.
Claire Fahy, Sports editor
UCLA 35, Nebraska 23
There’s been a lot of talk about whether Nebraska deserved a bowl bid after going 5-7 this season, but the fact of the matter is the Cornhuskers are at Levi’s Stadium ready to compete.
UCLA envisioned competing against tougher talent to end its season, but a loss to USC on Nov. 28 derailed any elite postseason aspirations. So now it’s up to the Bruins to make the most of it. This is coach Jim Mora’s worst season in his UCLA career, having gone 10-3 the past two seasons and earning a Pac-12 Championship berth in his first year. Heading into Saturday’s bowl, his team sits at 8-4, looking for the program’s first nine-win season since 2012, when UCLA was the Pac-12 South champion.
Nebraska has struggled with its run offense this season, which plays to UCLA’s advantage seeing as the Bruins can’t defend on the ground. That combined with the Bruins’ dynamic offense should make this game an easy win for UCLA, as long as everyone plays their part.
Korbin Placet, assistant Sports editor
UCLA 41, Nebraska 17
It is a little disappointing that UCLA is playing a team with a losing record. I am sure this Bruin team would have wanted a bit more of a challenge after a crushing loss to its crosstown rival, but a bout with a subpar win-record team was unavoidable.
To be fair, taking down the Cornhuskers will not be an easy task. Redshirt junior Paul Perkins and the rest of the running back corp will have difficulty breaking through the nation’s ninth-rated rush defense. Not to mention the Bruins will be without guard Alex Redmond on the offensive line, who left to get an early start in preparing for the NFL draft, and backup Fred Ulu-Perry, who transferred to Hawaii. There will be a lot of pressure on true freshman quarterback Josh Rosen to make plays if UCLA can’t get the run game going.
Rosen has matured and grown though since the Virginia opener at the Rose Bowl back in September. I bet he thrives on Saturday, which is why I don’t see Nebraska taking the Foster Farms Bowl cup.
Tanner Walters, assistant Sports editor
UCLA 38, Nebraska 17
Nebraska lost a total of seven games this season, with a combined deficit of 31 points. For all the North Campus majors out there – myself included – let’s break that down: The Huskers were nearly a field goal away from victory in each of their frustrating losses. A field goal. Ka’imi Fairbairn does those in his sleep.
With that said, however, I expect the trend of heartbreakers will come to an end while the losses mount. A Bruin squad that appears to be on the upward trend going into 2016 will leave the Huskers searching for more answers this offseason.
Nebraska’s pass defense was ranked last of 14 Big Ten teams with 384.5 yards allowed per game. Across the trenches, UCLA boasts the Sporting News Freshman of the Year at quarterback in Rosen. He and a Bruin offense full of wideout weapons should light up the opposing defense.
