UCLA’s trip through this season keeps rolling toward the Rose Bowl, and Nevada is the next team in the way. On paper, this is the kind of matchup the Bruins should handle comfortably. But there are still a few details worth watching closely as UCLA tries to stay perfect.
The biggest picture item is simple: UCLA cannot afford to let up. A routine win is still a chance to make a statement, especially with the AP Poll still in play and the first CFP rankings set to arrive on Nov.
- If the Bruins want to keep building toward a high seed, they need to keep turning in the same kind of polished performances, even against a Nevada team that arrives with nothing to lose.
Nevada comes in off a road win at San Jose State and now sits at 3-4 overall and 2-2 in conference play. That puts the Wolf Pack in sixth place in the Mountain West, but it also gives them a little momentum and a shot at what would be arguably the biggest upset of the college football season.
The matchup that stands out most for UCLA is in the passing game. Nevada’s secondary has been a problem for opposing offenses, and it enters the game ranked sixth nationally in passing yards allowed per game at 153.9. That makes this a real test for Dieffenbach and the Bruins, even if UCLA is expected to have the upper hand.
There’s also the backfield situation to monitor. Wayne Knight was injured in the Michigan State game a week ago, and this may be the right time to give him a break. UCLA has bigger conference games ahead, and keeping Knight fresh matters.
Even without him, the Bruins should have options. Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas are both capable of carrying the load, and Woods already showed what he can do by rushing for more than 100 yards last week against the Spartans, finishing as UCLA’s leading rusher in that game. If Knight sits, the run game will be one of the more intriguing things to track against Nevada.
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UCLAs November Stretch Will Reveal The Bruins Real March Ceiling
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The early test in the opener will already force UCLA to deal with a physical, high-level front line, and the tournament only raises the degree of difficulty. Saint Marys waits first in the bracket, and Texas looms next if the Bruins advance, with Isaiah Johnson among the names that could shape that matchup and give a clearer read on where UCLA stands when the competition gets real. [Read more 🡒]