UCLA Football: Game preview, prediction, live stream vs. Colorado
By Zach Bigalke
UCLA football and Colorado both have dreams of contending in the Pac-12 South. Which team will get the upper hand in #Pac12AfterDark action?
Both UCLA and Colorado lost their most recent games in Week 4 interdivisional Pac-12 play. The Bruins failed to keep pace with Stanford, falling 58-34 in the Bay Area. And in their rematch of last year’s Pac-12 championship game, the script played out similarly to last December as the Buffaloes fell flat in the second half of a 37-10 loss to Washington.
The losses put both teams in a deficit in the conference standings, but with plenty of games left to play there is still time to make up ground in the Pac-12 South. Last year, UCLA was up 10-7 at the half against Colorado. But the Buffaloes scored 13 unanswered points in the second half to run away with the 20-10 victory at home.
Both teams feature solid passing offenses, and the ball will be flying through the air in Pasadena on Saturday night. There could be a lot of points scored at the Rose Bowl in #Pac12AfterDark action. Will the Buffaloes or the Bruins emerge on top of this divisional battle to get back on track in the Pac-12 South race?
Here’s how to watch Saturday’s game between UCLA and Colorado:
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Date: Saturday, Sept. 30
Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
Location: Pasadena, Calif.
Venue: Rose Bowl
TV: ESPN 2
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Keys to Victory
It might be nice if UCLA could finally get some yards on the ground. The Bruins are averaging just 120 yards per game running the ball, and it has forced the passing game to pick up the slack. Soso Jamabo needs another strong game in the backfield to give UCLA a chance on Saturday night.
More importantly for the Bruins, though, everything begins with Josh Rosen’s ability to keep possession of the ball. In UCLA’s two losses, Rosen went off for nine touchdowns and no interceptions. In the Bruins’ past two losses, Rosen has thrown seven touchdowns and four interceptions. Because Rosen is such an integral part of the UCLA offense, he cannot afford to cough up the ball.
If the UCLA quarterback does throw a couple of picks, it will give a huge advantage to Colorado. The Buffaloes have picked off five passes so far this year, and a couple more would tip the scales in their favor. Colorado will need to generate more pressure with their front seven to force Rosen into some bad throws.
UCLA’s defense will need to watch out for Phillip Lindsay and prevent him from gaining big yards on the ground. The Buffaloes running back is averaging over 100 yards and a touchdown per game. The Bruins currently rank 129th in the FBS in terms of rushing defense, making their task that much more difficult. If Lindsay is allowed to move the chains consistently and provide balance for Steven Montez, it could be a long night for home fans in Pasadena.
Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of Sportsbook Review
Point Spread: UCLA -7
Over/Under: 63.5
Prediction
Defense will ultimately betray both teams on Saturday night as #Pac12AfterDark yields another crazy shootout. UCLA is favored by a touchdown at home, and in the beginning it will look like they’re up to the task of covering that point spread. Rosen will look unbeatable in the first half, throwing for over 200 yards and three touchdowns as the Bruins climb to a 21-10 lead.
But halftime adjustments will allow Colorado to get back into the game. Darnay Holmes will bust a long kick return to start the third quarter, setting up the Buffaloes with a short field to pull back within one score. Then Rosen will begin to get overconfident, throwing interceptions on consecutive drives. Colorado will score 10 points on those gift possessions to take their first lead of the game.
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From there, Phillip Lindsay will ice the contest as he repeatedly batters Bruins defenders for big yardage on the ground. After losing to the Huskies last week, Colorado will reverse their fortunes with a big second-half surge. Rosen will end the day with over 400 passing yards and four touchdowns, but he will also have three interceptions as UCLA falls at home as the favorite.
Final Score: Colorado 45, UCLA 35