Washington Huskies at #13 UCLA Bruins
Rose Bowl – Pasadena, California
Friday, November 15, 2013, 9:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN2
Opening Line: UCLA -3
Current Line: UCLA -2 1/2 (-115)
Opening Total: 62 1/2
Current Total: 60 1/2
Opening Money Line: UCLA -135 / Washington +115
Current Money Line: UCLA -135 / Washington +115
The 7-2 UCLA Bruins are 4-2 in the Pac 12 South Division tied with USC. Both teams are a game behind 5-1 Arizona State. UCLA hosts the 6-3 Washington Huskies Friday. The Huskies are 3-3 in the Pac 12 North in fourth place behind Stanford, Oregon and Oregon State. UCLA leads the series 38-30-2 including 10-2 in the Rose Bowl. The Bruins have won 11 of the last 14 in the series and seven straight at home. The Huskies won the last meeting 24-7 in Seattle in 2010.
Washington is coached by Steve Sarkisian. The Huskies started off the season with four straight wins but then lost 3 straight. Washington has since won 2 straight games to become bowl eligible. The Huskies have home wins over Boise State 38-6, Idaho State 56-0, Arizona 31-13 California 41-17 and last week against Colorado 59-7. Washington also has a road win at Illinois 34-24. Washington has road losses at Stanford 31-28 and Arizona State 53-24, along with a home loss against Oregon 45-24. The Huskies are 5-4 ATS and the total is 4-5 this season. Washington was an 30 point favorite against Colorado and the total was 63.
Washington took a 31-7 lead at halftime against Colorado last week. The Huskies added 28 points in the second half including 2 defensive touchdowns to complete the 59-7 rout. Washington had 628 total yards including 316 rushing and 312 passing yards. Colorado had 299 total yards including 171 passing yards. The Buffaloes had 3 turnovers.
Washington is outscoring teams 37-22 this season. The Huskies are #25 in scoring and #26 in points allowed nationally. Washington is #10 nationally in total offense at 515.9 yards per game, with 286.9 passing yards (#25 nationally) and 229 rushing yards (#17). On defense, the Huskies are allowing 381.3 yards per game including 209.7 passing and 171.7 rushing yards. Washington is #25 nationally against the pass. The Huskies are +5 in turnovers with 14 takeaways. Washington is averaging 76 penalty yards per game and opponents are averaging 46. The Huskies are 75/151 on third and fourth down conversions, and opponents are 67/176. Washington has forced 26 sacks and allowed 24. The Huskies are 37/43 scoring in the red zone with 31 touchdowns, and opponents are 27/35 with 18 touchdowns. Washington has allowed one kick return for a touchdown and has two defensive touchdowns.
Quarterback Keith Price has completed 65.4% of his passes for 2,481 yards with 18 touchdowns and 4 interceptions along with 4 rushing touchdowns. Running back Bishop Sankey has 222 carries, 1,305 yards and 13 touchdowns, along with 20 catches, 225 yards and a touchdown. Jesse Callier has 32 carries, 175 yards and 3 touchdowns, along with 7 catches for 48 yards. Dwayne Washington has 36 carries, 191 yards and 2 touchdowns, along with a touchdown catch. Receiver Jaydon Mickens has 50 catches, 614 yards and 4 touchdowns. Kevin Smith has 35 catches for 559 yards and 3 touchdowns. Kasen Williams had 29 catches for 421 yards and a touchdown. He is out for the season after suffering a gruesome broken leg and dislocated foot. Tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins has 23 catches, 306 yards and 5 touchdowns. Joshua Perkins has only 5 catches, but 3 went for touchdowns. Three defensive backs are questionable Friday.
UCLA is coached by Jim Mora, Jr. The Bruins have losses at Stanford 24-10 and at home against Oregon 42-14 after a 5-0 start. UCLA has home wins over Nevada 58-20, New Mexico State 59-13, California 37-10, and Colorado 45-23 along with road wins at Nebraska 41-21, Utah 34-27 and last week at Arizona 31-26. The Bruins are 6-3 ATS this season and the total is 3-6 this season. UCLA was a 1.5 point underdog at Arizona last week and the total was 60.5.
UCLA took a 14-3 lead in the first quarter against Arizona on the road. Each team scored a touchdown in the second quarter to make it 21-10 Bruins at halftime. The teams exchanged field goals in the third quarter to make the score 24-13 Bruins going into the fourth. The Wildcats pulled to within 24-19 with 11:46 left in the fourth but missed a two point conversion. UCLA expanded the lead to 31-19 a minute later. Arizona scored to make it 31-26 with 8:02 left. The Wildcats had two more possessions after that but the first one ended with a punt at their own 34 and and the second ended with an interception at their own 15 with 1:57 left. UCLA ran out the clock to secure the win. The Bruins had 476 total yards including 249 rushing yards. The Wildcats had 425 total yards including 239 rushing yards. Each team had 5 penalties. Arizona had two turnovers and UCLA had one.
UCLA is outscoring teams 37-23. The Bruins are #27 in scoring and #37 in points allowed nationally. UCLA is averaging 463.6 yards per game including 263.8 passing and 199.8 rushing. The Bruins are #38 or better nationally in all three categories. On defense, UCLA is allowing 389.3 yards per game including 213.8 passing and 175.6 rushing. The Bruins are #28 in pass defense nationally. UCLA is +5 in turnovers with 17 takeaways. The Bruins average 78 penalty yards per game and opponents are averaging 52. UCLA is 74/143 on third and fourth down conversions and opponents are 56/153. The Bruins have forced 16 sacks and allowed 21 this season. UCLA is 38/43 with 30 touchdowns and opponents are 26/34 with 19 touchdowns. The Bruins have a punt return for a touchdown and have allowed a pick six.
UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley has completed 68.5% of his passes for 2,225 yards with 18 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, along with 112 carries for 487 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns. He also caught a touchdown pass. Running back Jordan James has 80 carries for 471 yards with 5 touchdowns. He is probable Friday with an ankle injury after missing the last two games. Paul Perkins has 91 carries 390 yards and 3 touchdowns, along with 17 catches for 166 yards. Malcolm Jones has 39 carries, 177 yards and 3 carries, along with 3 catches, 51 yards and a touchdown. Steven Manfro has 18 carries for 60 yards and a touchdown, along with 7 catches for 107 yards and a touchdown. He is doubtful with an ankle injury, and little used running back Roosevelt Davis is also questionable with a foot injury.
Receiver Shaquelle Evans has 34 catches, 503 yards and 7 touchdowns. Devin Fuller has 36 catches, 426 yards and 4 touchdowns, along with a touchdown pass to Hundley. Jordan Payton has 27 catches, 336 yards, and a touchdown. Paul Perkins has 17 catches for 166 yards. Four defensive players and three offensive linemen are listed on the injury report.
Washington is 4-0 ATS after a straight up win, and after rushing for 200 yards or more, 5-1 in November, 7-2 after gaining 450 total yards or more, 6-2 after allowing less than 20 points, 3-7 on grass, 4-10 in road games, and 2-10 against teams with winning home records. Five of the last six games in this series have gone under the total.
UCLA is 5-1 ATS after a straight up win, 4-1 after a cover and after allowing more than 200 rushing yards and 13-4 against teams with winning road records. The over is 5-2 in the last seven in Pasadena in the series. The Bruins are 9-4 ATS in the last 13 against the Huskies.
Both of these teams lost to Oregon and Stanford, the two best teams in the conference. Both teams have won two straight games. These two teams are very similar statisitically, and I think this will be a close game. UCLA wins on a late field goal.
