Saturday Blitz
Fansided

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

By Dante Pryor

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) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 5
Next
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 17: Running back Vavae Malepeai #29 of the USC Trojans is tackled by defensive back Adarius Pickett #6 of the UCLA Bruins during the second half of a football game at Rose Bowl on November 17, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 17: Running back Vavae Malepeai #29 of the USC Trojans is tackled by defensive back Adarius Pickett #6 of the UCLA Bruins during the second half of a football game at Rose Bowl on November 17, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images) /

2. UCLA will stuff Cincinnati’s running game

This might sound more like a bold prediction than a reason UCLA will win, but there’s an argument to be made that the Bruins can hold off the Bearcats’ vaunted running attack.

First, as awful as UCLA was against the run last season, the Bruins held the Bearcats to a mere 3.8 yards per carry in their matchup. The Bruins were only really gashed against Arizona and Utah — they even held CJ Verdell to 3.6 yards per carry. They get that entire group back with a good deep mix of linemen and linebackers in their 3-4 defense.

The Bruins’ crew of linebackers are fast and athletic. They will be able to go sideline-to-sideline, and mix it up on any inside runs the Bearcats throw at them. Led by veterans Krys Barnes and Tyree Thompson the UCLA defense will be ready to slow down the Bearcat running game. Josh Woods returns to the defense after missing all of last season with a leg injury.

Not only that, but the Bearcats will be inexperienced along their offensive line this season. Cincinnati has to replace four of their five full-time starting offensive linemen from last season. So this year’s matchup will pit a veteran front-seven against an inexperienced offensive line.

Home/UCLA Bruins