UCLA Football: Preview, prediction, live stream vs. Arizona in Week 7
UCLA football will travel to Arizona looking for a nice road win over the Wildcats in Week 7. Here’s everything you need to know.
Josh Rosen and UCLA have had a wild season. Since their incredible come from behind victory over Texas A&M they’ve fallen to Memphis and bounced back and forth between highs and lows. They enter Saturday’s tilt with Arizona 3-2 with a 1-1 record in the Pac-12.
UCLA was outgunned by Stanford 58-34 but outlasted Colorado in their previous game to pick up their first conference win. As it has been all season, the Bruins’ chances ride and die on the arm of future NFL draft selection Josh Rosen.
Arizona will counter with a dynamic quarterback of their own. The discovery of sophomore signal caller Khalil Tate could prove to be a turning point for this struggling program. The Wildcats (3-2) picked up their first Pac-12 win last week over Colorado on the legs of Tate. He carried that ball 14 times for 327 yards and four touchdowns.
#Pac12AfterDark never seems to disappoint. Here’s how to watch Saturday’s UCLA vs Arizona game:
Date: Saturday, Oct. 14
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Location: Tucson, Ariz.
Venue: Arizona Stadium
TV: Pac-12 Network
Live Stream: Pac-12 Network Live
Keys to Victory
UCLA doesn’t have much of a rushing defense at all. They rank dead last in the Pac-12 in that metric, allowing a stunning 284.2 rushing yards per game. Arizona might not need to attempt a pass. Tate completed 12 of 13 passes last weekend for 154 yards and one touchdown. Mixing in a few long passes with the Tate’s rushing ability should set the Wildcats up for plenty of points.
The Bruins are going to have to do what they’ve tried to do all season, score more points. They have one of the best passers in the nation to do so, but it’s still a tall order. That challenge rose when their starting tight end Caleb Wilson was declared out for the season. Whether it be Darren Andrews or Jordan Lasley, somebody from the receiving corps is going to have to step up and make some plays.
Prediction
This game is a tricky one to pick. Rosen has already proven multiple times this season that he belongs near the top of the upcoming NFL Draft. He’s going to need some help at some point, and he’s certainly not getting that from the running game. Arizona will neutralize the ground game and force Rosen to throw all evening.
Next: NFL Mock Draft 2018: First round entering Week 7
If the Wildcats can’t find a way to keep the scoring down this game could get out of hand. Tate was phenomenal last week, but the edge goes to the proven passer in a game that could go either way. Rosen wins the quarterback battle and beats Arizona on the road.
Final Score: UCLA 37, Arizona 28