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UCLA Football Early 2018 Schedule Preview: Colorado Buffaloes

By Muna Osisioma

BOULDER, CO - OCTOBER 28: Head coach Mike MacIntyre of the Colorado Buffaloes works on the sideline during a game between the Colorado Buffaloes and the California Golden Bears at Folsom Field on October 28, 2017 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
BOULDER, CO - OCTOBER 28: Head coach Mike MacIntyre of the Colorado Buffaloes works on the sideline during a game between the Colorado Buffaloes and the California Golden Bears at Folsom Field on October 28, 2017 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – NOVEMBER 28: General view of Colorado Buffaloes game helmets on the field at Rice-Eccles Stadium before the game between the Buffaloes and the Utah Utes on November 28, 2015 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – NOVEMBER 28: General view of Colorado Buffaloes game helmets on the field at Rice-Eccles Stadium before the game between the Buffaloes and the Utah Utes on November 28, 2015 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images) /

Colorado Special Teams

Colorado returns every key player on special teams. Place kicker James Stefanou made 17 of his 22 field goal attempts in 2017. He was also a Lou Groza award semi-finalist. Senior punter Alex Kinney averaged nearly 44 yards per kick. Ronnie Blackmon returned punts and averaged eight yards per return. He was joined on kickoffs by Nixon who averaged a respectable 23.7 yards per return. Nixon is explosive and I expect him to take over punt returning duties from Blackmon in 2018.

Final Analysis

Colorado will be tough on offense. Montez is a good quarterback and should improve in 2018. However, UCLA football has a strong secondary and I expect UCLA to bring pressure to take advantage of an inexperienced Colorado offensive line. The game will hinge on whether UCLA can run the ball well enough to create a balance between run and pass. In 2017, the Bruins were unable to do that and leaned on Josh Rosen’s brilliance to beat Colorado. This year, predictability will not work. Based on Chip Kelly’s history, I am willing to bet that UCLA will find a way to run the ball enough to be unpredictable. If they are able to do that, then I expect a close UCLA victory.

Next: UCLA Football: 10 bold predictions for the 2018 season

Prediction

UCLA 27 – Colorado 17