UCLA Football: 3 bold predictions vs. Cincinnati in Week 1

UCLA football travels from Southern California to Cincinnati to tangle with the Bearcats. What’s going to happen in Part 2 of this home-and-home?

Last season, the first for UCLA head coach Chip Kelly, the Bruins fell to the Bearcats at the Rose Bowl 26-17. Now it’s the Bruins turn to travel as they travel over 2,000 miles to southern Ohio for a 7:00 p.m. ET game against the Cincinnati Bearcats.

Last year’s game was close with the Bearcats winning with a fourth quarter touchdown to break a 17-17 tie. What will happen this year?

3. UCLA will struggle to stop the run

Cincinnati goes four deep in their backfield.

Last year’s leading rusher, Michael Warren II, is back after a 1,329-yard and 19-touchdown campaign as a sophomore. And 2017’s leading rusher, Gerrid Doaks, is back after missing all of last season with a sports hernia that ended up in surgery.

But wait, there’s more. Last season’s No. 2 and No. 3 backs Tavion Thomas and Charles McClellan return after combining for nearly 1,000 yards. They face a UCLA defense that surrendered 200 yards and almost three touchdowns a game on the ground.

I almost forgot, redshirt sophomore quarterback Desmond Ridder added over 500 yards rushing as well. I guess they go five deep in the backfield.

The only issue the Bearcats will have on the ground is trying to find enough carries for each runner.