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UCLA Football: 5 bold predictions for the Bruins in 2017

By Matthew Bartlett

PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 24: UCLA Bruins prepare to walk on to the field befoe the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Rose Bowl on September 24, 2016 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 24: UCLA Bruins prepare to walk on to the field befoe the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Rose Bowl on September 24, 2016 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) /

No. 5 – UCLA has a top-5 scoring offense in PAC-12

On the surface this doesn’t sound like that bold of a prediction at all. The Bruins have Josh Rosen, how could their offense be that bad? Well, Rosen played in the first six games a year ago and led the offense to just two games of more than 24 points. He threw three touchdowns or more in just one game, at home against an Arizona team that finished dead last in the PAC-2

UCLA was the 11th best scoring offense in the PAC-12 last season. 11th out of 12. Not good. Why the reason for optimism this year then?

For one, they’re going to have to air it out. The UCLA defense lost a good chunk of its pass rush to the NFL Draft. That puts the offense on the hook to put up more points in 2017.

They return most of their receiving corps, an experienced tight end and running back Soso Jamabo. Add Rosen to that mix and you should have an offense that is both familiar with each other and destined for improvement.

In 2016 a top-5 PAC-12 offense would have scored roughly 35 point or more per game. The Bruin averaged 25 points per game last year. That’s 10 points improvement needed. That’s more than doable.

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