No. 22 UCLA (2-0) at No. 11 Utah (3-0)

When: 12:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah

TV/radio: FOX (Ch. 11) / 570 AM

Line: Utah by 5.5

Notable injuries: UTAH: QUESTIONABLE: QB Cam Rising (ACL), TE Brant Kuithe (ACL), WR Devaughn Vele (undisclosed), WR Mycah Pittman (undisclosed); UCLA: QUESTIONABLE: WR Titus Mokiao-Atimalala (undisclosed); DOUBTFUL: LB Ale Kaho (undisclosed)

What’s at stake?: UCLA is looking for its first victory against the Utes in Salt Lake City since 2015. The Bruins have lost their last three road games against the Utes. The Bruins have a favorable schedule in Pac-12 play this season, so a victory over the back-to-back conference champion would be a huge first step. If Dante Moore starts and leads the Bruins to a victory, he would become the first true freshman quarterback to win at Utah since Oregon’s Justin Herbert in 2016.

Who’s better?: Utah has effectively made the most of its talent without the consistency of splashy five-star recruits in recent years, but the same could be said about the Bruins outside of Moore, the only five-star recruit on the UCLA roster. UCLA has the edge this week considering the number of injuries Kyle Whittingham said his roster is facing currently.

Matchup to watch: Edge rusher Laiatu Latu vs. left tackle Spencer Fano. This is an intriguing matchup in the trenches. Fano has already made an early impact for the Utes, starting the first three games of the season as a true freshman. Fano is likely to line up against Latu, who has the potential to be an NFL first-round pick in April. Latu could take advantage of the true freshman’s inexperience or Fano may get the best of his opponent and begin to draw national attention as a result.

UCLA wins if: The Bruins will win on the road if the pass rush is able to get the best of the offensive line and apply pressure to whatever quarterback plays for the Utes. If Rising can play, it’s not certain that the former Newbury Park High star will have 100% mobility to escape from Latu and company. The secondary will have to do its part in coverage to allow opportunities for the front seven to make plays. Moore must continue to distribute the ball to his playmakers, including J.Michael Sturdivant.

Prediction: UCLA 35, Utah 28. The Utes will clearly have home-field advantage, but the number of injuries could be the difference this week. If Dante Moore remains poised and upright, it could be a breakout game for the Bruins and a chance to climb the national rankings.

Related Articles