UCLA (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12) vs. Arizona (3-6, 1-5 Pac-12)
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Rose Bowl
TV/Radio: FOX/AM 570
Line: UCLA by 19½
Notable injury designations: UCLA: Out: DL Martin Andrus. Questionable: DB Devin Kirkwood. Probable: RB Zach Charbonnet, RB Keegan Jones, RB DeShun Murrell.
What’s at stake? The coaches and players may not admit it, but everyone has next week’s game against USC circled on the calendar. It is never a good idea, though, to overlook the opponent in between – even if it’s an Arizona team that has dropped four consecutive Pac-12 games. The Bruins want to head into next week feeling good, and that will mean notching a clean, stress-free win over the Wildcats on Saturday.
Who’s better? UCLA has the edge on both sides of the ball, though Arizona has a proficient passing offense in its own right behind Jayden de Laura, who is second in the Pac-12 with 312.6 passing yards per game. The Bruins have the skill edge on offense to run all over the Wildcats’ defense, whether it’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson keeping the ball or Charbonnet and others taking handoffs. The defense, especially the secondary, will need to step up.
Matchup to watch: UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson vs. Arizona defense. Thompson-Robinson was 13-of-20 passing for 169 yards and added 120 yards rushing last week, but the numbers hardly tell the story. The UCLA quarterback was a highlight-reel machine, hurdling defenders on multiple occasions, pulling off spin moves and looking completely comfortable while doing it. Thompson-Robinson appears to be operating on a whole different level this season, as he nears the end of a magnificent UCLA career. Look for more big numbers and dazzling highlights Saturday.
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UCLA wins if …: If the Bruins’ defense doesn’t let tackles slip away and the secondary limits de Laura in the passing game. … If the run game continues to be prolific, with or without Charbonnet. … If injuries, which have been relatively rare this season for the Bruins until last week, don’t flare up and have an impact.
Prediction: UCLA 48, Arizona 20. The Wildcats have given up 45 points or more in each of their past four games, and there’s no reason to think the Bruins’ prolific offense won’t be able to match or exceed that total. The only question mark is how long UCLA’s defense will let Arizona stick around.