UCLA Football: 3 reasons the Bruins will upset No. 11 Utah

1. Dante Moore will announce his presence on the national stage

Through three games, freshman quarterback Dante Moore has been fantastic. He’s completed 63 percent of his throws for 615 yards, seven touchdowns, and just a single interception, good for a passer rating of 205.4. Moore has also been proficient at evading the pass rush and getting rid of the ball, getting sacked at a rate of just one per game.

It’s been an impressive start, and while he’s beginning to garner some national buzz, his name has yet to explode into household status across the country.

That’s fair, considering he’s off to this start with matchups against Coastal Carolina, San Diego State, and North Carolina Central. He’s done what he can against the opposition, but that opposition hasn’t exactly been stout. That changes this week.

Moore has displayed all the talent in the world, and he needed absolutely no adjustment period to get going in his UCLA football debut. Right from the get-go, he was dropping dimes all over the field.

Quick acclimation is going to be a huge asset on Saturday. This is the first major road trip of his career, and the fans at Rice-Eccles will be electric for this huge matchup. Moore has been a cool customer through three games, and he’s displayed the kind of temperament it takes to go on the road and not get overwhelmed by the moment. He resembles Bryce Young in that department.

This won’t be a 400-yard game for Moore, the Utah defense is still extremely good. This also won’t be a multi-interception game for Moore. He’ll take what the defense gives him, take advantage of the inevitable few plays in which wideout J.Michael Sturdivant separates from the secondary, and ultimately lead UCLA to a huge road upset. Along the way, he’ll put his name in the national conversation as one of the sport’s next great quarterbacks.