UCLA
Colorado
Homecoming, Throwback Game Next for Football
October 24, 2023 | Football
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Rose Bowl Stadium
Kickoff Time: 4:44 p.m. PT
Television: ABC
TV Talent: Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), Holly Rowe (sideline)
Local Radio (UCLA Sports Network from IMG College): AM570
Local Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Matt Stevens (analyst), Wayne Cook (sideline)
National Radio (LEARFIELD): Chris Hassel (play-by-play), Mike Golic Jr. (analyst), Savanna Ford (sideline)
SiriusXM/SXM App: Ch. 84/SiriusXM College Sports Radio
THE MATCHUP
No. 23 (Associated Press)/24 (US LBM Coaches) UCLA, a winner in 17 of its past 23 overall games, returns home to face Colorado Saturday at 4:30 p.m. PT. The Bruins have won three of the past four meetings in the series and nine of 10 all-time contests in Los Angeles, including the past six straight played at Rose Bowl Stadium. With a win Saturday, the Bruins would become bowl eligible for the third straight season.
The sold-out Homecoming contest is also UCLA's Throwback Game. The Bruins will honor the program's 1954 national champions, donning uniforms worn previously from 1953-1970. Other highlights during this stretch include Gary Beban earning the Heisman Trophy in 1967 and UCLA knocking off No. 1 Michigan State for the program's first Rose Bowl Game win to conclude the 1965 season.
UCLA has held six of its seven opponents this season to fewer than 20 points and rank 10th nationally in scoring defense (14.9). The Bruins own a 19-1 record under head coach Chip Kelly when holding opponents under 20 points. UCLA has the Pac-12's top-rated total defense (282.6 yards per game, 11th nationally), scoring defense (14.9 points per game, 10th), rushing defense (68.6 yards per game, first) and team passing efficiency defense (113.01, 18th).
Saturday's battle will be televised by ABC, with coverage beginning at 4:30 p.m. The Bruin IMG Radio Network will broadcast the contest, which will also be aired over SiriusXM and the Varsity App.
SERIES HISTORY
UCLA leads the series, which dates back to a 1980 meeting in Los Angeles, by a 13-5 count. UCLA has captured the past six meetings in the series played at Rose Bowl Stadium. Colorado's lone series win in Los Angeles came in the 2002 season and marks the lone CU win over a ranked UCLA team in the all-time matchups.
AT A GLANCE
โข After beginning the Pac-12 schedule with three of its first four games on the road, the Bruins finish league play with four of the final five games in the Los Angeles area.
โข The Bruins lead the nation in rushing defense (68.6 yards per game) and have held two teams this season to 30 yards of rushing or fewer (Stanford - 24, Washington State 12). UCLA most recently held at least two teams to 30 yards rushing or fewer in 2008 (Arizona State - 21, Washington State - 26). It most recently held three teams to 30 rushing yards or fewer in 1993 (USC - seven, BYU - 25, San Diego State - 30).
โข UCLA is allowing 14.9 points per game, which leads the Pac-12 (10th nationally). A UCLA team most recently held opponents under 15 points per game for a season in 1980 (12.3).
โข UCLA leads the nation allowing just 2.22 yards per rush this season and is tied for first in the nation with (with Iowa and Texas A&M) with just one rushing touchdown allowed.
โข UCLA opponents are averaging 4.34 yards per play, which is tied for eighth in the nation. Penn State leads the nation at 3.67.
โข UCLA's defense has given up nine touchdowns on the year. That ranks first in the Pac-12 and fourth nationally (Michigan - five, Penn State - eight, Ohio State - eight, Iowa - nine).
โข Opponents have scored a total of nine touchdowns on 91 drives against the Bruin defense in 2023 ... possessions/touchdown drives: Stanford 13/1, Oregon State 11/3, WSU 16/1, Utah 14/1, North Carolina Central 13/1, SDSU 13/1, Coastal Carolina 11/1.
โข UCLA has given up 104 points this season, which is the lowest mark in the Pac-12. UCLA most recently gave up fewer points through seven games in 1988 (99).
โข DB Alex Johnson is tied for the Pac-12 lead with 0.4 interceptions per game, which is 14th in the nation. His three interceptions rate 14th in the NCAA. A UCLA player most recently had more than three single-season interceptions in 2016, when Randall Goforth had four. No Bruin has had more than four interceptions in a season since 2009, when Rahim Moore had 10.
โข DL Laiatu Latu is second in the Pac-12 and 13th nationally in tackles for loss (TFLs) average (1.4), as well as second in the league and ninth nationally in sacks per game (0.93). DL Gabriel Murphy is 15th nationally in TFLs per game (1.36).
โข WR J.Michael Sturdivant has caught at least one pass in each of the past 19 games (seven for UCLA and 12 with California). He is the only Bruin to have a catch in each game this season.
โข TE Moliki Matavao has six receptions this season of at least 20 yards: 20 at Stanford (touchdown), 34 at Oregon State, 29, 27 and 20 versus WSU and 35 at SDSU.
โข UCLA has won 13 straight games when forcing multiple turnovers. The Bruins have forced multiple turnovers in five of this season's seven games, winning each contest.
โข UCLA is 18-3 under head coach Chip Kelly when commiting fewer turnovers than its counterparts and 3-19 when committing more than the opposition.
MOST RECENT MEETINGS
In the most recent meeting between the programs, UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson passed for 234 yards and two touchdowns while RB Zach Charbonnet scored three touchdowns on the ground as UCLA won 45-17 last season at Folsom Field. Charbonnet rushed for 104 yards on nine carries. The Bruins scored the first 14 points of the game and pulled away with a dominant second half. Defensively, UCLA limited Colorado to 309 yards of offense. LB Laiatu Latu was credited with three sacks and LB JonJon Vaughns added a team-high seven tackles.
In the most recent meeting of the two programs at the Rose Bowl, UCLA stormed back from an early deficit, scoring 37 unanswered points in a 44-20 win over the Buffaloes. UCLA had trailed 20-10 in the first half of action. The Bruins racked up 245 rushing yards and five scores, three by Charbonnet. WR Kyle Philips, who had eight catches for 99 yards, landed the knockout blow with an 82-yard punt return for a toucdown early in the fourth quarter.
TEAM NOTES
โข UCLA enters this week's games as one of six FBS teams with at least 1,500 rushing yards and 1,700 passing yards on the season. Also in the club are LSU, New Mexico State, Oregon, UCF and USF.
โข UCLA leads the Pac-12 in the following statistics: Total Defense (282.6, 11th nationally), Turnovers Gained (16, fourth), Team Tackles for Loss (8.0, eighth), Team Pass Efficiency Defense (113.01, 18th), Scoring Defense (14.9, 10th), Rushing Defense (68.6, first), Red Zone Defense (.668, 11th), Passes Intercepted (nine, 12th); Fumbles Recovered (seven, ninth).
โข Under head coach Chip Kelly, UCLA is 25-7 when it rushes for at least 200 yards in a game.
โข This is the third straight season UCLA has entered the major polls, peaking at No. 18 in the AP Top 25 so far in 2023, No. 9 (AP) in 2022 and No. 13 (both polls) in 2021.
โข UCLA added 221 rushing yards at Stanford last week for its fourth 200-yard game of the season. The Bruins rushed for 404 yards against North Carolina Central, 284 at Oregon State and 254 at San Diego State earlier this year. The 404 yards of rushing offense against the Eagles represent the most by a Bruin team since it racked up 437 ground yards in a 2010 game against Washington State. In 2022, the Bruins compiled nine 200-yard rushing games โ the most since the 1995 squad also produced nine.
โข UCLA scored a touchdown on its first drive of the game for the third time this season at Stanford (also NCCU and CCU). The Bruin defense did not surrender points on the first Cardinal drive and Oregon State (field goal) remains the only team to score this season on its initial drive of the game against the Bruins.
โข The Bruins forced a 2023 season-high four WSU turnovers. Earlier this season, UCLA forced three turnovers each by SDSU and CCU). A Bruin team most recently forced more than four turnovers in a game at WSU during the 2019 season (six).
โข The Bruins have given up 24 rushing yards at Stanford, 12 to WSU, 90 to NCCU, 63 to SDSU and 56 to CCU this season. The Bruins held five 2022 opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing (California - 67, Washington - 65, Colorado - 51, Alabama State - 87 and Bowling Green - 37). The Bruins also held five foes to fewer than 100 yards rushing in 2021 (Cal - 92, UW - 83, Stanford - 67, LSU - 49 and Hawai'i - 26).
โข Last week's Stanford game was UCLA first this season without committing a turnover on offense.
