University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Utah
UCLA Hosts Utah in Friday Night Showdown
October 23, 2018 | Football
Venue: Spieker Field at the Rose Bowl (80,616)
Kickoff Time: 7:30 p.m.
Television: ESPN2 (Jason Benetti, Kelly Stouffer, Olivia Dekker)
Radio (UCLA Sports Network from IMG College): AM 570/1150/ 97.3 FM
Josh Lewin (play-by-play),Matt Stevens (analyst), Wayne Cook (sideline)
Sirius 105/XM 197 /internet Ch. 959
UCLA (2-5, 2-2) welcomes [No. 23 AP/ 24 Coaches Poll] Utah (5-2, 3-2) to the Rose Bowl for a Pac-12 Conference matchup on Friday, Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised by ESPN. The Bruin IMG Radio Network will broadcast the contest, which will also be aired over Sirius/XM, 97.3 FM THE FAN, uclabruins.com, tunein.com and TuneIn App. The Bruins have split the past six meetings with Utah, but have dropped the last two played in Pasadena in 2016 (52-45) and 2014 (30-28).
In last year's matchup in Salt Lake City (Nov. 3), Utah handed the Bruins a 48-17 setback as Devon Modster made his first career start at quarterback. Utah led 17-10 at the half, but broke the game open with three third quarter touchdowns. Matt Lynch came on in the fourth quarter and threw his first career scoring pass for the Bruins.
The teams last played in the Rose Bowl on Oct. 22, 2016, a 52-45 Utah win. Backup quarterback Mike Fafaul set UCLA records in the game with 40 completions in 70 passing attempts, while throwing for 464 yards, third-most in school history. Utah jumped out to a 14-0 lead only to see UCLA answer with three straight touchdowns and that was all in the first quarter. The Utes led 27-21 at the half. UCLA evened the score at 35-all in the third quarter, but Utah added two scores late in the period for a 45-35 lead and went on to post the win.
In UCLA's 2012 win over Utah in the Rose Bowl, Andrew Abbott's interception led to a Brett Hundley rushing touchdown to open the scoring. Hundley then connected on a 64-yard pass with Shaq Evans to give UCLA a 14-7 lead. Johnathan Franklin's determined three-yard rush into the end zone in the third quarter made it 21-7. Utah scored a late touchdown to make the final 21-14 Bruins.
First-year head coach Chip Kelly was named UCLA's head football coach on Nov. 25, 2017. Kelly compiled a 46-7 record in four seasons as the head coach at the University of Oregon (2009-12). During that span, his Duck teams captured first place or a share of first in the North Division of the conference (three outright conference championships 2009-11) and four BCS bowl games. Kelly guided Oregon to appearances in a National Championship Game (2010), two Rose Bowls (after 2011 and 2009 seasons) and the Fiesta Bowl following the 2012 season. He also has served as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers (2016) and the Philadelphia Eagles (2013-15).
THE WATCH LIST
โข With 3 turnovers forced against Arizona, UCLA now has 13 for the year which matches the total for all of last season. UCLA is rated T-14th in the nation and T-1st in P12 in turnover margin (0.86). The last time the Bruins forced more than the five turnovers at Cal (10/13) was in 2013 at Utah (six interceptions).
โข UCLA registered a season-high 460 yards of total offense against Arizona, with a season-high 307 yards passing and a season-high 82 plays.
โข The wins over Arizona and at Cal the past two weeks marked UCLA's first consecutive wins in Pac-12 play since it won three straight in the 2015 season.
โข OLB Keisean Lucier-South rates 9th in the P12 in sacks (0.57/g) and is 5th in the league in tackles for loss/g (1.36) ... At Cal, he had a forced fumble, a recovered fumble, which he returned for a touchdown, and an interception to go along with 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks.
โข RB Joshua Kelley ran for 136 yards on a career-high 31 carries against Arizona to register his fourth straight 100-yard game --- He racked up a career-best 157 yards, most by Bruin back since Paul Perkins ran for 219 vs. BYU in 2015, on 30 carries for three touchdowns the previous week at Cal [Also 125 vs. Washington, 124 at Colorado]...The last back with more than 30 carries in a game was Tyler Ebell with 31 in 2002 against Washington ... Ebell was also the last Bruin back to run for 100-plus yards in more than four straight games as he had six straight 100-yard efforts in 2002.
โข Senior safety Adarius Pickett topped the team in tackles for the sixth time this season last week vs. Arizona ... He has produced four double-digit tackle performances in the process (career-high 16 vs. Washington, 13 vs. Fresno St., 12 at Oklahoma, 15 v. Cincinnati) ... He ranks third in Pac-12 in total tackles/g (11.0) and 16th in the NCAA ... Pickett has seven career double-digit tackle games to his credit.
โข UCLA has converted 21 of its last 46 third down attempts (45%) in the last three games (including a season-best 57% vs. UW --8/14) ... In the first four contests, the Bruins had converted 17 of 56 third down attempts (30%).
โข UCLA's non-Saturday regular season game record dating thru 2010 is 7-9 --- Thurs.: 4-5, Fri.: 2-4, Sun.:1-0 --- 2018: Friday at Colorado (L); 2017: Sunday vs. Texas A&M (W), Friday at Utah (L), Friday vs. Cal (W); 2016: Thursday at Colorado (L); 2015: Thursday at Stanford (L), Thursday vs. Cal (W); 2014: Thursday at Arizona State (W), Friday vs. Stanford (L); 2013: Thursday at Utah (W), Friday vs. Washington (W), 2012: Thursday at Rice (W); 2011: Thursday at Arizona (L); 2010: Thursday at Oregon (L), Thursday at Washington (L), Friday at Arizona State (L).
โข Stefan Flintoft leads the P12 (5th in NCAA) in punting average (47.0) and has the most punts of a league performer measuring 50-plus yards this season (16). Only three Bruin punters (2010 Jeff Locke-45.8, 2008 Aaron Perez-45.2, 1989 Kirk Maggio-45.2) own season averages of more than 45.0 yards since 1957. โข UCLA's last win over an AP-ranked opponent came on November 21, 2015 at then No. 18 Utah (17-9). The last home win over a ranked opponent also came in the 2015 season, on October 22, against No. 20 California (40-24).
โข UCLA's last win over an AP-ranked opponent came on November 21, 2015 at then No. 18 Utah (17-9). The last home win over a ranked opponent also came in the 2015 season, on October 22, against No. 20 California (40-24).
