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UCLA Bruins Football 2019 Season Preview Part 2: Cincinnati Running Game

By Tyler Glaze

PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 01: Michael Warren II #3 of the Cincinnati Bearcats is chased down from behind by Lokeni Toailoa #52 of the UCLA Bruins during a 26-17 Bearcat win at Rose Bowl on September 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 01: Michael Warren II #3 of the Cincinnati Bearcats is chased down from behind by Lokeni Toailoa #52 of the UCLA Bruins during a 26-17 Bearcat win at Rose Bowl on September 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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PASADENA, CA – SEPTEMBER 01: Michael Warren II #3 of the Cincinnati Bearcats follows a block from Dino Boyd #70 on Krys Barnes #14 of the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl on September 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA – SEPTEMBER 01: Michael Warren II #3 of the Cincinnati Bearcats follows a block from Dino Boyd #70 on Krys Barnes #14 of the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl on September 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Advantage: Draw

While Cincinnati boasts undeniable rushing talent, it will have to rely on an unproven offensive line to create running lanes and give Warren, Ridder, and company room to thrive.  They will face the capable defensive line of the Bruins, but the Bruin linebackers are largely unproven, and it remains to be seen if the defensive lineman have developed as much as they appeared in camp.  Not to mention the rushing defense of UCLA left much to be desired in the 2018 season, so time will tell if true improvement has been achieved in the offseason.

It will be a game of cat and mouse in 7 days, and the gridiron will reveal whether Warren will have a repeat of his 2018 performance, or if the UCLA defensive line is up to the challenge.  I predict this will be *the* fascinating matchup of this game.

Stay tuned for Part 3 of this Season Preview, where we will examine the Cincinnati defense, and how they will stack up against Year Two of the Chip Kelly offense at UCLA!  Thanks for reading!