UCLA
Utah
Football Set to Open Pac-12 Play Saturday at Utah
September 19, 2023 | Football
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Rice-Eccles Stadium
Kickoff Time: 12:30 p.m. PT
Television: FOX
TV Talent: Jason Benetti (play-by-play), Brock Huard (analyst), Allison Williams (sideline)
Local Radio (UCLA Sports Network from IMG College): AM 570
Local Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Matt Stevens (analyst), Wayne Cook (sideline)
National Radio (ESPN): Marc Kestecher (play-by-play), Kelly Stouffer (analyst), Ian Fitzsimmons (sideline)
SiriusXM: Ch. 104/Ch. 202
SXM App: Ch. 960
THE MATCHUP
No. 22 (Associated Press)/25 (US LBM Coaches) UCLA, which has gone 15-4 in its most recent 19 outings, open conference play Saturday at No. 11/10 Utah. This is the second time in as many seasons both programs enter the contest with a national ranking. It also begins a stretch of three straight meetings with ranked opponents for the Bruins (also versus No. 21 Washington State Oct. 7 and at No. 14 Oregon State Oct. 14). UCLA is looking for its first win on the road against an AP top-15 team since it topped No. 15 Arizona State in 2014. The game in Salt Lake City marks seven straight seasons UCLA has opened Pac-12 play on the road: won at Colorado in 2022, 2020 and 2018, won at Stanford in 2021, won at WSU in 2019 and lost at Stanford in 2017.
Saturday's battle with the Utes will be televised by FOX, with coverage beginning at 12:30 p.m. PT. The Bruin IMG Radio Network will broadcast the contest, which will also be aired over ESPN National Radio, SiriusXM and the Varsity App.
This begins the final Pac-12 season for both teams. UCLA joined the Pacific Coast Conference in 1928 which then became the Athletic Association of Western Universities in 1959. The Pac-8 was formed in 1968 and turned into the Pac-10 for the 1978 season. The Pac-12 started in the 2011 season with the additions of Utah and CU.
SERIES HISTORY
UCLA holds a 12-8 overall lead in the series, which dates back to a 1933 meeting in Los Angeles. This is the second time in as many seasons both teams enter the contest with rankings. UCLA's most recent victory in Salt Lake City was in 2015.
AT A GLANCE
โข UCLA's most recent win at Utah was a 17-9 result in 2015. Since that victory, the Bruins have lost to the Utes in Salt Lake City in 2021, 2019 and 2017. Utah was ranked No. 11 by the Associated Press prior to last year's home Bruin win, which snapped a streak of five straight defeats to the Utes. Utah had won the turnover battle across that five-game stretch by a 15-4 margin. UCLA forced two Ute turnovers in last year's win and was picked off once.
โข The most recent four times UCLA started the season 3-0 prior to this year, it went on to win its Pac-12 opener: 2022 at Colorado, 2015 at Arizona, 2014 at Arizona State and 2013 at Utah.
โข UCLA has won its past nine September games played dating back to a Sept. 25, 2021 win against Stanford.
โข UCLA has posted 6-3 marks in Pac-12 play in each of the past two seasons. It finished tied for fifth in the league in 2022 and tied for second in the South Division in 2021.
โข UCLA had most recently held three straight foes to 20 points or fewer in a season during the 2009 campaign, when it defeated Kansas State 23-9, Tennessee 19-14 and San Diego State 33-14. UCLA had most recently held three straight opponents to 13 points or fewer in 2006: 24-12 at ASU, 25-7 versus Oregon State and 13-9 against USC. The 1976 Bruins heldeach of their first four opponents to 10 points or fewer.
โข UCLA has given up a total of 30 points in its three games this season, which is the fewest points given up by a Bruin team in the initial three contests of a season since 1980: 35-0 versu Wisconsin, 23-14 at Purdue and 56-14 against CU. The next week, the Bruins shut out No. 2 Ohio State 17-0 in Columbus, Ohio.
โข QB Dante Moore has 32 completions on the year and 20 of them have picked up at least 10 yards. At least 20 yards have been gained on 10 of them and 23 have produced first downs.
โข The Bruins held North Carolina Central (245) and San Diego State (259) each under 300 yards of total offense in their past two games. UCLA most recently limited consecutive opponents to under 300 yards in 2011: CU (229) and Utah (291). A Bruin team most recently held three straight teams under 300 yards of offense in 2009.
โข This is the third straight season UCLA, at No. 22 AP and No. 25 Coaches, has entered the major polls, peaking at AP No. 9 in 2022 and No. 13 in 2021.
โข In his 11-plus seasons as a coach at UCLA (five-plus as head coach) and Oregon (four as head coach and two as assistant coach), Chip Kelly has had seven of his teams rank among the nation's top 25 in total offense. Kelly has had eight rushers on his teams rank among the nation's top 15. Nine of those teams have rated among the top 20 in the nation in scoring average.
โข UCLA started the 2022 season 6-0, which was its best start since going 8-0 to begin 2005.
โข UCLA had seven tackles for loss against North Carolina Central after compiling back-to-back 10.0-TFL games against San Diego State and Coastal Carolina. The Bruins compiled just two games total with at least 10.0 TFLs from 2020-22. The Bruins most recently accomplished the feat in back-to-back games during the 2009 campaign, reaching 10.0 versus ASU and at Washington State. This week, UCLA is ranked eighth in the NCAA in TFLs-per-game average this season (9.0).
MOST RECENT MEETINGS
Dorian Thompson-Robinson completed 18 of 23 passes for 299 yards and four touchdowns to lead No. 18 UCLA past No. 11 Utah, 42-32, at the Rose Bowl last season. RB Zach Charbonnet totaled 198 rushing yards on 22 carries and scored one rushing touchdown as UCLA improved to 6-0 on the year and continued its best start to a football season since 2005, when the Bruins opened with an 8-0 mark. Thompson-Robinson's 70-yard touchdown pass to WR Logan Loya, midway through the fourth quarter, set a new school record for most career touchdown passes (76, eclipsing Brett Hundley's record).
In the most recent meeting in Salt Lake City, UCLA dropped a 44-24 decision to the Utes. Ethan Garbers made his first college start in that contest and completed 27 of 44 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns while filling in for Thompson-Robinson, who was unavailable. Charbonnet was UCLA's top rusher with 65 yards and a touchdown.
TEAM NOTES
โข UCLA is 9-2 overall (7-2 Pac-12) in its past 11 true road contests โ losing at Oregon in 2022 and Utah in 2021 โ dating back to a Sept. 25, 2021 win at Stanford. It has posted a 15-4 overall record in it past 19 games dating back to 2021.
โข UCLA leads the Pac-12 in the following stats: Passes Intercepted (six, third in NCAA), Rushing Offense (270.3 yards per game, third), Scoring Defense (10.0 points per game, seventh); Tackles for Loss (9.0 per game, eighth).
โข UCLA has posted a 7-5 record in conference openers since the start of the Pac-12 in 2011. Ten of those season openers have come on the road, including each of the past six.
โข Under head coach Chip Kelly, UCLA is 23-6 when it rushes for at least 200 yards in a game.
โข UCLA rushed for 404 yards against North Carolina Central and 254 yards at San Diego State for its first two 200-yard rush games of 2023. The 404 yards of rushing offense are 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, which was the most since the 1995 squad also produced nine.
โข After rushing for six scores and 404 yards against NCCU, UCLA has registered at least one rushing touchdown in 35 of its past 37 games. It failed to record a rushing TD in 2023 versus Coastal Carolina and 2022 against South Alabama. UCLA most recently rushed for at least six TDs in a 2015 contest at Arizona.
โข UCLA is tied for third in the nation with six interceptions and sixth in in turnovers gained (eight). The Bruins forced three turnovers by both San Diego State and Coastal Carolina, which tied last year's UCLA single-game season high. A Bruin team most recently forced more than three turnovers in a game at Washington State during the 2019 season (six). UCLA held SDSU scoreless in its final eight possessions. The Bruins held CCU scoreless in its last six possessions. UCLA held NCCU without points for its first 11 possessions.
โข UCLA is ranked in both polls โ No. 22 by the Associated Press and 25 by the coaches, after beginning the 2023 season unranked. The Bruins finished 2022 ranked No. 21 in each poll. They rose as high as No. 9 in the 2022 AP Top 25 after starting that season unranked. It marked UCLA's high point in the AP poll since 2015, when it peaked at No. 7.
โข UCLA has won all three of its non-conference regular-season games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2015 and 2014. In 2022, UCLA defeated South Alabama, Alabama State and Bowling Green. The Bruins' non-conference sweep in 2022 was the programs' first since 2015.
