UCLA football: 5 bold predictions vs. Hawaii game in Week 2

5. Diocemy Saint Juste will top 150 rushing yards for Hawaii

As a redshirt junior last year, Hawaii running back Diocemy Saint Juste broke the 1000-yard rushing mark for the season for the first time in his career. He is already more than a quarter of the way to 1000 already this season after a big 202-yard effort against Western Carolina. Saint Juste is playing a far tougher defense than he has yet faced this season.

Of course, that UCLA defense also gave up nearly 400 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground to Texas A&M. Last year, UCLA’s front seven gave up just 171 yards per game on the ground. But now, with players like Takkarist McKinley, Eddie Vanderdoes, and Jayon Brown preparing for their first NFL season, the Bruins are far more vulnerable on the ground.

Saint Juste isn’t unfamiliar with facing a Pac-12 opponent. In last year’s season opener in Sydney, Australia, the running back put up 118 rushing yards against California. He also caught two passes for 35 yards, and he also had a rushing touchdown along the way. Of course, Saint Juste has not had regular success against Power Five competition. The 153 total yards of offense against Cal more than tripled the production he has put up in his other seven games.

Six were against against Pac-12 opponents, with the last coming in 2016 against Michigan. The situation could not be better for Saint Juste to have another big game. It is unlikely that he’ll go past 200 like he did in Week 1, but Saint Juste will at least break the 150-yard mark against UCLA on Saturday.