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UCLA Football: 5 reasons Bruins have what it takes to upset Oklahoma

By Matthew Bartlett

WESTWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 27: Chip Kelly speaks to the media during a press conference after being introduced as the new UCLA Football head coach on November 27, 2017 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images)
WESTWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 27: Chip Kelly speaks to the media during a press conference after being introduced as the new UCLA Football head coach on November 27, 2017 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images) /
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2. UCLA is playing with nothing to lose

ESPN FPI gives the Bruins a meager five percent chance of pulling off the upset. The betting markets opened at UCLA +25 and sit at UCLA +30 on the evening before kickoff. Not only is UCLA not supposed to win this game, nobody is giving them a shot.

Many expected the rebuild in Los Angeles to take a year or two. Last week’s upset at the hands of Cincinnati confirmed the Bruins have a lot more work to do than they might have hoped. But that doesn’t mean this team isn’t dangerous and Kelly is certainly one that’s willing to roll the dice.

For all the problems the Bruins’ have, they remain one of the most talented teams in college football. The 247 Talent Composite ranked them as the 11th most talented team in the nation last year. Oklahoma, for reference, was 16th in the same metric.

Talent plus opportunity are the biggest factors in the creation of an upset. UCLA isn’t going to be afraid to throw everything they have at this game and they have the talent to make all of those tricks count.

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