Go Joe Bruin continues its early 2018 previews with a look at UCLA’s match up against the Oklahoma Sooners in week 2…
After securing what should-be a season-opening win against the Cincinnati Bearcats on September 1, the UCLA Football team will leave the friendly confines of the Rose Bowl and take on the Oklahoma Sooners on September 8 in Norman, Oklahoma.
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The early-season showdown against the Sooners will be one of UCLA’s toughest (if not, it will be the most challenging) contests on its already infamously-hard 2018 slate. Despite the fact that Chip Kelly is now at the reigns of UCLA’s football program, many faithful Bruin fans are already chalking this game up as a loss and looking ahead to bounce back in the following week’s game against Fresno State University at the Rose Bowl.
Oklahoma Sooners:
Head Coach: Lincoln Riley (2nd year, 12-2)
2017 Record: 12-2, 8-1 Big 12 (First-place)
2017-18 Bowl Game: Rose Bowl (L/OT, #2 Georgia: 54, #3 Oklahoma: 48)
Final 2017-18 National Ranking: No. 3
Related Story: UCLA Football: Ranking 2018 from easiest to toughest game
What: UCLA Bruins at Oklahoma Sooners
Where: Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, OK
When: Saturday, Sept. 8
But, should UCLA fans really be marking this non-conference tilt as an automatic loss? In short…yes. And here’s why.
The Bruins are still going to have a lot of unanswered questions in their young season when they head east for Oklahoma. Chief of them will be determining who will be their signal-caller.
Elsewhere, the Bruins will be looking to establish their identity on the offensive line as well as live up to the violent reputation of their new-look defense.
Oklahoma’s Five-Year Win Trend
- 2017: ★★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆ 12-2
- 2016: ★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆ 11-2
- 2015: ★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆ 11-2
- 2014: ★★★★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ 8-5
- 2013: ★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆ 11-2
The Sooners, on the other hand, are pretty set in all facets of the game despite the fact that Oklahoma has departed with five starters on both defense and offense.
Oklahoma Offense
The biggest departure for Oklahoma is quarterback Baker Mayfield. Behind Mayfield, who went first-overall to the Cleveland Browns in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Sooners led the nation in total offense and passing efficiency.
The Sooners were also the third-highest scoring team in the NCAA. Mayfield’s absence will be felt, but all signs are pointing to dual-threat quarterback Kyler Murray to take over for the Sooners. While he may not have the passing ability Mayfield had, it is highly expected that Murray will be the Sooners leading rusher.
Oklahoma 2017 Offensive Stats
| Total Offense | Passing Offense | Rushing Offense | Scoring Offense |
|---|---|---|---|
| 579.6 (1st) | 361.8 (2nd) | 217.8 (1st) | 45.1 (1st) |
( ) – denotes ranking in the Big XII
Another focal point of the Sooners’ offense is running back Rodney Anderson. In 2017, Anderson earned 1,161 yards and 13 touchdowns. Anderson will also be joined by Trey Sermon, Oklahoma’s solid RB2. Oklahoma’s 2018 offensive line will feature returning standout veterans Bobby Evans, Ben Powers, and Dru Samria.
With the Cerebus that is Oklahoma’s running game, coupled with its impressive offensive line, the Bruins will have their hands full in Norman. As UCLA’s run defense was virtually non-existent in 2017, the Sooners’ rushing game and offensive line will undoubtedly be the main area concern for first-year defensive coordinator Jerry Azzinaro.
Elsewhere, UCLA’s defensive backs will be busy trying to slow down the Sooners’ wide receiving corps made up of Marquis Brown, Mykel Jones, and CeeDee Lamb.
In short, even without Mayfield, the Sooners are primed for success. Bruins beware.
Oklahoma Defense
In 2017, the Sooners allowed over 350 yards and 27 points per game. These numbers will look to improve in 2018 as the Sooners have departed with five defensive starters and returning defense loaded with talent.
OU’s biggest departures are D.J. Ward and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, the teams’ leading pass rushers. At 6-1, 240 lbs., defensive end/linebacker Mark Jackson is expected to take over for Okoronkwo as the Sooners’ top pass rusher and will be complimented by linebackers Kenneth Murray and Caleb Kelly.
Oklahoma 2017 Defensive Stats
| Total Defense | Passing Defense | Rushing Defense | Scoring Defense |
|---|---|---|---|
| 364.9 (4th) | 238.4 (3rd) | 156.5 (6th) | 27.1 (5th) |
( ) – denotes ranking in the Big XII
Defensive Coordinator Mike Stoops will also utilize his loaded roster of safeties and cornerbacks to keep opposing passing games at bay.
At this point of the season, Chip Kelly and UCLA’s offense will likely still be trying to find its starting quarterback and overall identity. If the Sooners are smart, they’ll play up to this uncertainty and force the Bruins to rely on its run game.
Oklahoma Special Teams
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It’s been reported that special teams have been a main point of emphasis for the Sooners during its spring practices.
During the early part of the offseason, the Sooners hired Georgia’s Shane Beamer to revamp the special teams. In his time with the Bulldogs, Georgia ranked eighth in net punting average with nearly 42 yards per punt.
Beamer and the Sooners will look to fix their special teams woes as Oklahoma didn’t score a touchdown on a kickoff or punt return in 2017.
Special teams might be the Sooners’ biggest weakness in 2018. Should the Bruins capitalize on this weak link, then they may have found their way to down Oklahoma.
Final Analysis
September 8 has the potential to be a very long day for the Bruins. But this is to be expected considering all the turnover UCLA has been working with this offseason (I.E. a new coach, a new quarterback, a young offensive line, a revamped defense, etc.). It will truly be UCLA’s first big test of the Chip Kelly era.
Should Kelly and his Bruins ride the momentum from their potential season-opening win over Cincinnati and find their groove on both sides of the ball early on, then there might be a chance UCLA could put up a fight against the nation’s No. 3 team.
However, as the Bruins have not won a road game since its victory over BYU on September 17, 2016, its entirely likely that UCLA will be handed its 11th-straight road loss by the Sooners.
Next: UCLA Football: 10 bold predictions for the 2018 season
Prediction
Oklahoma 45 – UCLA 14