No. 22 UCLA travels to play No. 11 Utah in the first Pac-12 conference game this season for both teams.
History between UCLA and Utah
These two football programs first met back in 1933, which UCLA won by a final score of 21-0. Since then, these two teams have faced each other a total of 20 times, with UCLA leading the series 12-8.
From the beginning of this series between these two programs, UCLA dominated Utah, winning the first eight games they played. However, Utah started to turn things around starting in 2007 to 2021, winning eight out of eleven games they played during that time.
One of the most memorable games in the series came in 2013 when UCLA defeated Utah 34-27 in Salt Lake, Utah. UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley threw for 211 yards and scored three touchdowns, with one of them being a pass, a catch, and a rushing touchdown for the touchdown trifecta. The win that season gave the Bruins a 4-0 record after that victory and UCLA ended their season with a convincing win over USC and a bowl victory over Virginia Tech.
In recent years, the two teams have only played each other a handful of times. Utah won in 2019, defeating UCLA 49-3, and in 2021 when the Utes defeated the Bruins 44-24. However, UCLA won the last matchup between these two schools last season in a high-scoring game.
Overall, the football history between UCLA and Utah has been unbalanced with both teams enjoying periods of dominance with the Bruins dominating the series early and the Utes winning five of the last six games in this series. The series is likely to end in the coming years, as UCLA will no longer be a member of the Pac-12 Conference starting the 2024 football season.
Utah this season
The Utes on paper are 3-0 with wins against power five opponents in Florida and a road win against Baylor. The Bears lost at home by double digits to Texas State and their only win this season is against Long Island University. The Gators have home wins against McNeese and a Tennessee team whose only wins were against Austin Peay and possibly the worst power five team in Virginia at home.
You also need to give Utah credit for a road win against a team from the Big 12 and a victory against a team from the SEC. Their defense is No. 17 nationally in total defense and No. 2 in third down conversion percentage defense.
Utah’s offense has done a great job controlling the time of possession being ranked No. 5 in the country. The Utes are undefeated even though their starting quarterback from last season,
Cameron Rising has not played yet this season. Rising may play against UCLA but nothing has been reported yet on if he will play against UCLA. Nate Johnson started the last game for the Utes and is a dual-threat quarterback as he has rushed for a touchdown in every game this season and passed for over 280 yards this season.
Running back Ja’Quinden Jackson leads the Utes’ rushing attack averaging 6.5 yards a carry and Money Parks is the top receiver with 138 yards receiving and two touchdowns. The Utah defense is led by linebacker Levani Damuni and safety Cole Bishop who combined have 36 total tackles on the season. Another main contributor for Utah on defense is Lander Barton who has an interception and a touchdown this year.
Now, let’s take a look at UCLA.
UCLA this season has been impressive on both sides of the ball.
The Bruins have been dominant this year for nearly every quarter with the exception of a few for this season. On the offensive side of the ball, UCLA ranked No. 10 in total offense and No. 3 in rushing offense in the nation. The Bruins on average through three games averages just over 40 points per game and has averaged 527 yards per game on offense.
On defense, the Bruins are ranked No. 24 in total defense, No. 12 in total sacks, and No. 7 in scoring defense. UCLA has on average only allowed 10 points per game and the Bruins defense has caused eight turnovers in their first three games this season.
The UCLA passing game is led by true freshman Dante Moore who has 615 yards passing, eight touchdown passes, and a 205.4 OB rating through three games. The Bruins have two running backs with over 230 yards rushing and two touchdowns through the ground in Carson Steele and TJ Harden. J. Michael Sturdivant leads the receivers with nine receptions, 219 yards, and two touchdowns.
The Bruins’ defense is led by linebacker Darius Muasau who leads the team with 18 tackles and he has a sack and interception as well this season. Laiatu Latu leads the team with four sacks and he has an interception and forced fumble this year. Defensive back Alex Johnson leads the team with two interceptions this season.
Let’s take a look at the conference rivalry and prediction for the game.
Which ranked team will win their first Pac-12 conference game of the season?
No. 22 UCLA at No. 11 Utah
Last 10 games of this rivalry: Utah has won six out of the last ten games against UCLA.
The last five games of this conference rivalry: The Utes have won four out of the last five games against the Bruins.
Current Win Streak: UCLA has won the last game between these two schools, having a one-game winning streak in this rivalry.
Last meeting between both schools: The Bruins defeated the Utes at home by a final score of 42-32 last season.
Prediction: UCLA 28 Utah 24