UCLA Football Set to Host Washington in Battle of Pac-12 Unbeatens

Beneath the Friday night time lights, just one unbeaten staff will survive.

Via 4 weeks, the Bruins are undefeated with a mean margin of victory of 23.8 factors. The Huskies, in the meantime, are additionally undefeated and boast a mean margin of victory of 25 factors.

Each groups blew out a MAC opponent of their season opener, took care of an FCS staff in Week 3 and are contemporary off dismantling an outmatched Pac-12 foe in Week 4. The blue and gold, in addition to the purple and gold, are each averaging over 40 factors per recreation whereas permitting fewer than 20.

Friday night time on the Rose Bowl, UCLA soccer (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12) will face off towards No. 15 Washington (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12) to resolve which staff’s good season will get to dwell on one week longer. Though either side have taken comparable paths to the Week 5 showdown, it stands as the primary actual check for the Bruins up to now this season.

Washington is so excessive up within the rankings and superior stats as a result of its Week 3 win came to visit then-No. 11 Michigan State in East Lansing. UCLA nonetheless lags behind the Huskies and a number of other different Pac-12 companions as a result of its Week 3 win got here by one level over South Alabama in Pasadena.

The Huskies are a much more daunting challenger than the Jaguars, in accordance with the stats, the polls and the media conglomerates who’ve scheduled Friday night time’s recreation to be broadcast on ESPN. Via 4 weeks, the Bruins have solely performed on Pac-12 Networks, a regional channel with dwindling viewership numbers routinely outdone by cable cooking exhibits and actuality TV.

Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson mentioned he wasn’t going to be shook by the intense lights, fairly that he was wanting ahead to such a high-profile matchup taking middle stage, even when it will not influence his staff’s mentality heading into the sport.

“Yeah, it is gonna be enjoyable,” Thompson-Robinson mentioned. “Once more, I say it each week, we’re gonna see if they’ll run with us and compete with us. We’re simply gonna go in and do our recreation.”

Throughout his final 13 video games on nationwide TV, Thompson-Robinson boasts a 152.3 passer ranking with 37 complete touchdowns and solely 9 interceptions. In his 10 profession video games towards ranked opponents, he has a 158.7 passer ranking with 27 complete touchdowns.

UCLA’s protection, then again, has allowed 42.1 factors per recreation towards ranked opponents since coach Chip Kelly took over in 2018. The Bruins’ protection is posting a few of its finest numbers of Kelly’s tenure 4 weeks into 2022, however that is after going through steady waves inferior competitors fairly than the high-powered Husky offense.

Coach Kalen DeBoer joined Washington final offseason after a profitable run at Fresno State that included a 40-37 win towards UCLA on the Rose Bowl in September 2021. He instantly introduced his employees and that very same hearth energy with him as much as Seattle, giving the Huskies a top-10 offense within the nation proper off the bat.

Kelly mentioned that having the ability to look again on final 12 months’s Fresno State movie has been beneficial, however that Washington’s offense is an entire completely different beast due to its offensive playmakers – particularly quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

“He is actually working the present, and I believe he is enjoying in addition to any quarterback within the nation proper now,” Kelly mentioned. “He is extraordinarily correct, he could make all of the throws, he is bought a very, actually robust arm. … Simply watching tape, he is spectacular.”

Penix has thrown for 1,388 yards, 12 touchdowns and only one interception with a 64.3% completion share and 172.2 passer ranking up to now in 2022. He has had three prime receivers to unfold the ball round to – Jalen McMillan, Rome Udunze and Ja’lynn Polk – who account for 53.1% of the staff’s receptions, 62.1% of their receiving yards and 75% of their receiving touchdowns.

The Indiana switch quarterback performed underneath DeBoer when he was the offensive coordinator in Bloomington in 2019, giving the pair a in-built familiarity earlier than this season even started. Thompson-Robinson and Kelly have been collectively for 5 years straight, although, so the Bruins have the leg up in that class.

Thompson-Robinson should cope with a Washington move rush that ranks No. 3 within the nation with 15.0 sacks via 4 video games. Penix, in the meantime, be underneath fixed stress by defensive finish Laiatu Latu, a switch from Washington who ranks No. 3 within the nation with 5.0 sacks on the season.

The 2 dueling quarterbacks and opposing move rushes can be on full show Friday night time, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT. The winner will head into Week 5 with a still-unblemished file, whereas the opposite might be left to surprise what their 4-0 begin was actually value.

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