Cincinnati Football: 5 reasons Bearcats will beat Bruins again

Last year, Cincinnati football defeated the Bruins 26-17 in the Rose Bowl. Will UCLA get its revenge at Nippert Stadium against the Bearcats?

This is the second in the home-and-home between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the UCLA Bruins.

Last season, the Bearcats traveled over 2,000 miles to the Rose Bowl. It’s the Bruins turn to make the 2,000-plus mile trek to the Ohio Valley. Although the venue is different the result will be the same.

The Bearcats will defeat the Bruins again and here are five reasons why.

5. The Bearcats will win in the trenches

Last season, the Bruins allowed 32 sacks — that was more than twice than the number their defense had. They were a good run-blocking unit but they have to get better at pass protection.

The Bearcats come in with one of the better pass defenses in the nation, surrendering a mere 190 passing yards per game last season. There will be some youth on the defensive line, but what will give them the advantage up front won’t be the linemen Luke Fickell recruited but rather the secondary.

The Bearcats’ secondary led the AAC in pass efficiency defense last season and when guys aren’t open, coverage sacks happen.

On offense, the Bearcats replace four full-time starters with senior guard Morgan James returning and part-time starter Jakari Robinson taking over full-time at center. There’s some youth on their offensive line, but one of those young linemen is 6-9, 280-pound Lorenz Metz.

This matchup favors the Bearcats because UCLA’s defensive line was awful at what the Bearcats do best: run the football.