UCLA Football vs. Arizona State 2017: Go Joe Bruin predicts the game!

The UCLA Football team is looking to bounce back against Arizona State, but are the Bruins too far down a hole? Go Joe Bruin tells you as we predict the game!

Who knows what UCLA Football team will show up against Arizona State at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, especially on defense. Is it the defense that tends to step up at home where the Bruins are 4-0 so far this season? Or is it the defense that gives up 303 yards on the ground and more than 44 points in seven out of their nine games?

We don’t know, but we did our best to try! Here are Go Joe Bruin’s predictions!

Michael Chavez, UCLA 27 – ASU 24

I’m going with the unpopular 27-24 UCLA score. The ASU defense has been much better under Phil Bennett. They don’t blitz as much and are typically just bringing four and playing coverage in the back end. However they’re still 106th in pass defense and Rosen at 85% should still be more than capable of handling that secondary. But who does he throw to? Also will ASU bring blitzes knowing the ULCA OL woes? Rosen will have to score some points because the Bruins will be trying hopelessly to stop Richard and Ballage on the ground. But I get the feeling this could be an oddly low scoring event.

Nathan Eberhardt, ASU 31 – UCLA 17

Their two workhorse backs will feast all day on this, the worst P5 run defense in 15 years. Rosen will likely not be up to full strength, and he’ll face pressure as he tries to find targets from among his greatly depleted WR corps. The strugglefest continues.

Andrew Goodman, ASU 37 – UCLA 28

Having Josh Rosen back is huge for UCLA. Unfortunately, UCLA has lost basically all their playmakers on both sides of the ball due to injury. The Bruins are dragging their tails to the finish line.

David Rosenthal, ASU 34 – UCLA 21

More from Go Joe Bruin

I can’t in good conscience pick the Bruins to win another game until they find a way to stop the run. Unfortunately with just three games remaining, I don’t see a big turnaround on defense happening. If ASU is smart, they should keep the ball on the ground and feed their running backs.
Demario Richard of ASU is already a pretty good running back but against the Bruins D he should be near 200 yards.

On offense, there are a number of questions for the Bruins. Who will play quarterback? Who will run the ball? With all the injuries to receivers, who will catch the ball? There are too many questions on the offensive side for the Bruins to seriously challenge. I hope I’m wrong as the Bruins really need to win this game to keep their bowl eligibility hopes alive with a game against USC coming up next.

Matt Wagner UCLA 31 – ASU 27

Depending on if Josh Rosen plays, it could end up being the same story for UCLA. That is, an efficient offense — at least in the passing game — and hoping for a good game defensively from the Bruins.

This is very close to a must-win game for UCLA if they want to keep their bowl hopes alive, given they end the season with games at USC, home against Cal, and currently stand with a 4-5 record. USC — even though we all want it to be different — certainly will be a difficult test, so this game against ASU is pivotal toward earning a postseason berth.

As has been said, we do have a strong offense with Rosen at the helm (keep in mind they are thin at WR though), and look for the defense to at least hopefully have a semi-respectable showing against a potent ASU run game.

Next: A Number Game Against ASU

Mike Regalado, ASU 45 – UCLA 35

Josh Rosen might be back but the thing that worries me are the injuries which have taken out a lot of heavy hitters on both sides of the ball. Mix that with the fact that UCLA has the worst run defense in the country and you have a recipe for disaster.