UCLA AT ARIZONA
TIME: 7:30 p.m. TV: ESPN
RADIO: 1290-AM, 107.5-FM
Preview and predictions by Michael Lev
All about Arizona
All about UCLA
Matchups to watch
HEAD TO HEAD
85 Greg Dulcich vs. 5 Christian Young
If Dulcich isn’t the best receiving tight end in the country, he’s in the conversation. A true downfield threat, Dulcich has averaged nearly 20 yards per catch each of the past two seasons. He had a 75-yard TD vs. LSU and posted a 9-136 line vs. Arizona State.
DC Don Brown said Young has been “really good” as the team’s Viper, a safety-LB hybrid position. The touchdown Young surrendered vs. Oregon was an exception; he otherwise has allowed less than 50% of passes thrown his way (6 of 13) to be completed, per Pro Football Focus.
45 Mitchell Agude vs. 77 Jordan Morgan
Agude is UCLA’s most disruptive defender. He leads the Pac-12 and is tied for first in the nation with four forced fumbles. He had two against Arizona last year. Jedd Fisch lauded Bruins DC Jerry Azzinaro’s ability to create one-on-one matchups for UCLA’s defensive playmakers.
Morgan, a talented but still relatively inexperienced tackle, had his best game of 2021 vs. Oregon, per PFF’s grading system. Morgan had been struggling while working through an ankle injury that sidelined him in Week 1. He should be close to 100% after last week’s bye.
When UCLA has the ball …
The Bruins rank in the top four in the Pac-12 in points, total yards and rushing yards per game. Veteran QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson is playing the best ball of his career, currently boasting career bests in yards per attempt, TD-INT ratio and efficiency rating. DTR also is a dual threat (96 rushing yards vs. ASU), but the runner Arizona needs to pay the most attention to is RB Zach Charbonnet (89.8 ypg, 6.7 ypc).
When Arizona has the ball …
Fisch has handed the reins to QB Jordan McCloud, who accounted for 297 yards of offense vs. Oregon but also threw five interceptions. McCloud needs to make good decisions vs. UCLA’s aggressive front. The Wildcats rediscovered their run game vs. the Ducks (season-high 202 yards). Whether Arizona can replicate that success vs. UCLA remains to be seen. The Bruins rank first in the Pac-12 in run defense (86.6 ypg). They’re last in pass defense (321.4).
Prediction: UCLA 30, Arizona 24
The Wildcats’ performance at Oregon — they were within five points in the fourth quarter — suggests they’re trending in the right direction. But we’re not ready to predict victory No. 1 just yet. UCLA will be focused and motivated after losing to ASU. The Bruins have the most diverse offense the Wildcats have faced — and, in Thompson-Robinson, probably the best quarterback. UCLA’s secondary is vulnerable. But is Arizona capable of exploiting that weakness? We just don’t see it.
