Who: Washington Huskies vs. #13 UCLA Bruins
Where: The Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
When: 6:00 pm Pacific / 9:00 pm Eastern
TV Schedule: ESPN (DirecTV Ch. 206)
Carter Blackburn (play-by-play), Danny Kanell (analyst) and Allison Williams (sidelines) providing the commentary.
Streaming Radio: Tune-In
Radio: 950 KJR, Sirius 85, XM 85
Previews: UCLA's Offense, Defense and Special Teams; the Prediction; 5 Questions
History
Numbers
.75 - the total number of sacks the Bruins averaged per game the last four games ... a whopping total of three sacks for those games, one against Colorado and two against Oregon
2.4 - the total number of sacks the Bruins averaged per game the first 5 games of the season
21 - the total number of sacks the Bruins have given up over the 9 games they've played this season ... which is just over 2 sacks per game ...
10 - the total number of pick the Bruin D has pulled in so far this year ... the best part about this stat is that six of them came against Utah!
54.11 - the number of rushing yards Brett Hundley averages per game
145.67 - the number of yards the rest of the running backs are averaging each game ... there are 8 players on the team that are currently averaging over 10 yards per game
82,324 - the average attendance for Bruins home games this year against Pac-12 opponents ... those two games were Colorado and Cal ...
What They're Saying
No insults intended; this is really just some gameweek fun ... so have a laugh. These quotes were removed from any relevant context that would give them any logical sense .... These quotes are courtesy of Bruins Nation:
The benefits of playing at home
Washington does give up 21.8 points per game, but they definitely benefit from playing at home:
The Huskies have played 6 home games (one was a 58-0 shutout against Idaho, two were against the Calorado mess) and have given up an average of 14.7 points per game. Oregon threw that average off by dropping 45 points on Washington.
BUT, when you get them out of Seattle, it’s a different story. They have played 3 games on the road (Illinois, Stanford, and ASU), and gave up an average of 36 points per game.
How many points does UCLA average total? Yep, just a total over 36.
But let’s look closer at one of those games. Washington goes to Tempe and gets blown out by the Sun Devils. ASU averages 304.8 passing yards/game and 185.7 rushing yards/game on the year. However, in the game against Washington, ASU gained 314 rushing yards compared to 271 passing yards.
I think we are in a similar situation. Our offense gains more yards in the air than on the ground (especially recently from all running backs not named Myles Jack). My guess is that if we can establish the pass game early, Washington won’t be able to defend the run and we can wear them down.
Questions Needing Answers
Offense: How will the offense look against a much more solid defense? Will Price continue to try and run the ball? How will the line hold up? How many plays in a row can ASJ go "all out?"
Defense: Will the pass rush be able to take advantage of UCLA's youth on the offensive line? How well can the LBs keep an eye on Brett Hundley? Will Shaq be able to tackle in the open field? What kinds of blitzes will Wilcox dial up this week?
Miscellaneous: When will the Huskies play in the Rose Bowl against the Big 10? Will the Bruins be able to survive their recent run of injuries? Isn't a Bruin a baby bear?
Conclusion
I honestly don't know how to call this game. The Bruins have been hit hard with injuries, and have suffered accordingly. The Huskies, historically, aren't all that great on the road. On top of that, even though the game is on a Friday night, during rush hour traffic even, it will still be pumping with the blackout planned. However, at least this week, the homer in me wins over the evil part and is telling to go with the huskies. Final score: Huskies 97 Bruins 0
More Info
Gameday Dots:
- the Bruins are going for a blackout tonight ... lets see if it works.
- Here's a few guesses from a Bruin perspective
Vegas Odds:
- the Bruins are 3 point favorites and the over/under is at 60.
Game Thread:
Come on over to the game thread to have a little bit of jovial banter with fellow Dawg fans, and the occasional troll. You'll be happy you did. It opens up an hour or so before kickoff.
As always, long drives will win this game for us. Keep the penalties to a minimum (let Washington commit them all) and we can beat these guys.