UCLA Football: Chip Kelly looks to save season with win over USC
UCLA football looks to salvage their disappointing season with a win over cross-town rival USC. It may also keep Chip Kelly off the hot seat.
It’s no secret that UCLA is unhappy with the results of Chip Kelly’s first two seasons leading the Bruins’ football program. However, much of what has happened earlier this season can be forgotten about if UCLA comes away with another win over the USC Trojans.
Additionally, a win over USC, and again next week against Cal, will make the Bruins bowl eligible.
The Trojans have had an incredibly volatile season, but are at a high point at the moment. USC comes into the matchup with a 7-4 record and ranked at No. 23 by the College Football Playoff Committee. After losing their top two quarterbacks, and starting the season 3-3, the Trojans have won four of their last five games. The game they didn’t win in that five game span was against No. 6 Oregon.
This heated Pac-12 rivalry is the last regular season game for the Trojans.
Here’s how to watch:
Date: Saturday, Nov. 23
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Los Angeles, Calif.
Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
TV: ABC
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Keys to Victory
For UCLA, Coach Kelly has to get Dorian Thompson-Robinson in a rhythm early on. This means making short, high-percentage passes that will boost his confidence for the latter part of the game when the score is close. However, the Bruins’ passing game won’t have any success if they can’t establish any sort of run game. Joshua Kelley, UCLA’s primary running back, is averaging 4.8 yards per carry on the year and will need to have a big game against USC.
The USC Trojans must not allow the Bruins to gain any sustained momentum throughout game. Although Kedon Slovis has had a very solid year, he is still young and very susceptible to making costly mistakes in a heated rivalry game. Clay Helton will want to keep his young quarterback calm while focusing on flustering UCLA’s quarterback. The Trojans will be successful if their defensive line can prevent Thompson-Robinson from relaxing in the pocket.
Betting Lines
Odd courtesy of The Action Network
Point Spread: USC -13
Over/Under: 66
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Prediction
My prediction for the UCLA Bruins’ season was far from accurate. But, who could have expected UCLA to beat Washington State, Stanford, Arizona State and Colorado but not Oregon State and Arizona. Clearly, inconsistency has been a huge issue for them. And yet, I still believe they will pull out this victory. The Bruins will anchor on their experience, while the No. 23 USC Trojans will be over-confident heading into the match.
Final Score: UCLA 38, USC 35