UCLA Football: Best Case Scenario
By Rick Timmons
November 17, 2012; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins Jim Mora and his team run on the field as the Bruins defeated the USC Trojans 38-28 at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
If you haven’t yet read my article covering the worst possible situation for the Bruins this season, you can check it out here. If you have, read on for a less painstaking view.
This is what I see going on if nothing goes wrong for the Bruins. If UCLA, led by rising star Brett Hundley and team captains Anthony Barr and Xavier Su’a Filo, can preform up to their potential and avoid slipping up in the national picture, they can finish the regular season at a ridiculous 10-2. So who beats them, and where do they play their bowl game? Well that gets kinda complicated; let’s dive in.
With their only 2 losses coming in a shootout with Oregon and a Defensive showdown with Stanford, UCLA wins the PAC-12 South title- for the third straight year. Oregon, however, finishes undefeated while Stanford’s only loss comes against the Mighty Ducks. The PAC-12 is looking pretty damn strong and the Ducks get a bid to the BCS Title Game where they face, yup — you guessed it, Alabama. Without deviating to far from our topic, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say they don’t 3-peat. Yeah, that makes my favorite to win the National Championship: the Oregon Ducks; hold it against me me.
So, UCLA plays Oregon in the PAC-12 Title Game but is once again beaten by the Ducks. Oregon’s up-tempo and unpredictable offense proves to much to handle for a fairly young Bruin squad. UCLA falls to a record of 10-3, ranked 13th in the nation. The bowl committee selects UCLA to face off against LSU in the Orange Bowl. The only thing between UCLA and greatness is Louisiana State University.
LSU, which plays a fairly rough schedule, like the Bruins, finishes at 9-3 and underestimate the power of not only UCLA, but their coaching staff and play calling. The Tigers put up a fight and they show everyone why they ranked 12th in opponents scoring last season. It’ll be interesting to see Hundley play against an SEC defense — assuming the season plays out like this. Cassius marsh and Owamagbe Odighizuwa will tear through the O-Line of LSU though- as UCLA wins 24-17 and Coach Mora adds yet another great season to the books. If we wanna stretch it even more, Anthony Barr wins the Heisman and Brett Hundley ops in to his Redshirt Junior year — and not once does he mention “unfinished business”.
Just like my worst case scenario article, I’m not counting on this either. This is the absolute best I see the Bruins preforming, and I hope they can achieve it but it’ll take a lot of work to reach the top. Ultimately, UCLA’s season could end up teetering on weather or not the coaching staff can not only mold and advance the fresh secondary, but utilize it to it’s fullest extent.
Thats it folks, and with only 3 days left ’till kickoff, lets get ready for some Bruin football!