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UCLA Football: Post-spring game-by-game predictions for 2019

By Gavin Jernigan

NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 08: Head coach Chip Kelly of the UCLA Bruins during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Bruins 49-21. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 08: Head coach Chip Kelly of the UCLA Bruins during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Bruins 49-21. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 17: Osa Odighizuwa #92 of the UCLA Bruins gets his hands in the face of JT Daniels #18 of the USC Trojans during the first half at Rose Bowl on November 17, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 17: Osa Odighizuwa #92 of the UCLA Bruins gets his hands in the face of JT Daniels #18 of the USC Trojans during the first half at Rose Bowl on November 17, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

This is the most important game of the year. A sub-par season can easily be saved by a big win over the USC Trojans.

Before the 2018 season, I detailed why the UCLA Bruins would be the better team in Los Angeles. Was I wrong? It all depends on who you ask.

The Trojans posted a better record than UCLA — 5-7 compared to 3-9. So in that sense, I was wrong. However, UCLA’s starting quarterback, fifth-year Michigan-transfer Wilton Speight, did get injured on the very first game of the season. The Trojans’ true freshman quarterback, JT Daniels, was much better than expected. Those two facts were unforeseeable.

Fortunately, we got to see these two teams play each other and guess what happened? UCLA won 34-27.

The 2019 matchup will be no different. Daniels will be an even better manager of the USC offense but at the same time, the Bruins will be an improved team.

This year’s game will be played at the Los Angeles Coliseum, giving the Trojans home-field advantage and it will be close an even closer game than 2018’s.

Final: UCLA 24, USC 21 (8-3, 6-2)

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