UCLA vs. Cal gameday predictions
UCLA has lost its past two games of the 2015 season, but the Bruins are on a two-game winning streak over the Cal Golden Bears. The two teams will face off Thursday night. (Daniel Alcazar/Daily Bruin senior staff)
UCLA hosts California Thursday night at the Rose Bowl. The Bruins are coming off a loss to Stanford, dropping out of the AP Poll for the first time in 2015. The Golden Bears have lost two games in a row to the Bruins, but they are 5-1 on the season compared to the home team’s 4-2 record.
Here’s what Daily Bruin Sports predicts before Thursday’s 6 p.m. kickoff.
Claire Fahy, sports editor and football writer
Cal 42, UCLA 31
If we learned anything from last weekend, it’s that this UCLA defense is broken and probably isn’t fixable. Too many losses to injury means that players who are inexperienced are now thrust into too much responsibility. Stanford exposed the holes in the Bruin defense last week by launching an incredible running attack and obliterating UCLA for 56 points. There’s no let-up in sight as Cal is currently averaging 40.2 points per game behind a career season from quarterback Jared Goff. Even if freshman quarterback Josh Rosen is lights out Thursday, it won’t be enough if the defense can’t stifle the Bears’ offense.
Matt Cummings, assistant editor
Cal 52, UCLA 27
I’ll be at the Rose Bowl on Thursday night, which is probably evidence of some deep-seated masochism I have yet to acknowledge. This is going to be Goff and receiver Kenny Lawler’s response to anyone who thinks they’re not the best QB-WR tandem in the nation. There are two reasons you should disregard Goff’s poor performance against Utah. The first is that he’s Jared Goff, and he’ll be fine. The second is that the Utes are just way better than the Bruins at this point.
Korbin Placet, assistant editor
Cal 38, UCLA 35
Utah notwithstanding, Cal has been one of the biggest surprises in the Pac-12 this year. Not a single pundit thought the Bears would be one of the top schools in the north division, and for sure not ranked over the Oregon Ducks. But college football is weird like that. A lot of the success is due to Goff, a probable-NFL first rounder. Yeah, Goff threw five interceptions against the Utes, but that is a rarity, an outlier explained by a tough and rainy road game. Neither the UCLA nor Cal defenses are anything to brag about, so I’m expecting a high scoring game. It will be an interesting game if Rosen and the receivers show up to play.
Tanner Walters, assistant editor
Cal 38, UCLA 20
I had some hope last week. I think most UCLA fans did, too. This week? Not so much. With the Cardinal’s absolute demolition of the Bruins last Thursday, things are looking bleak in Westwood. Led by Goff, Cal should torch the UCLA defense when it travels down to Pasadena this week, and there likely won’t be much the depleted Bruins will be able to do to stop the onslaught. The Golden Bears aren’t as strong defensively, but they should be strong enough to limit the damage and deliver the win.
