UCLA Football: 5 reasons Bruins will beat Cincinnati in Week 1

By Dante Pryor | Aug 28, 2019

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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Last season, Cincinnati defeated UCLA football on the road. This year it’s the Bruins turn to travel but will they get revenge?

Last season, the Bearcats made the 2,000-plus mile trek to the Rose Bowl and found a way to defeat the UCLA Bruins 26-17. This season the Bruins make the 2,000-plus mile journey to the Ohio Valley to play the Bearcats at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati.

Here are five reasons the Bruins will defeat the Bearcats.

5. The arrival of Dorian Thompson-Robinson

Year two in most programs are when you see the “quantum leap” for programs especially if they don’t have to go young at quarterback. Chip Kelly decided to ride quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson the final nine games of the season and he went 3-6 in those starts.

That experience allowed Thompson-Robinson to learn on the job and gain confidence coming into this season. He’s had an entire spring, summer, and fall taking first teams reps. He’s ready to command this offense.

When you look at Dorian, he’s exactly the type of quarterback Kelly wants. He has a big-time arm and he can run. This game on the road will be Dorian’s coming-out party.

If the Bruins have any chance to win this game, Thompson-Robinson has to show he’s ready to run the complex Kelly offense.

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