Gameday predictions: UCLA vs. Arizona State

Jack Perez
Sports editor
Prediction: UCLA 21, Arizona State 17

Everyone’s eyes are going to be on the quarterback battle, but it’s the other side of the ball that deserves more attention.

The Bruins have taken massive strides in almost every single major defensive category from 2019. Whether it’s rush defense, pass defense or points allowed per game, UCLA looks like a whole new team.

Maybe this is coach Chip Kelly finally investing more of his time into fixing the biggest problem his team has faced the past two seasons. Maybe defensive coordinator Jerry Azzinaro had an epiphany, or maybe new hire Brian Norwood’s impact had an even bigger effect than the team let on during fall camp.

Whatever happened, it worked. The same cannot be said for the Sun Devils.

While his team has played just one game, coach Herm Edwards’ defense ranks close to the bottom in some categories. Arizona State did play a ranked USC team but still gave up 381 passing yards and 556 total yards – both worst in the nation in per-game averages.

The Sun Devils also suspended two defensive backs in the past week, prompting one of them to declare for the NFL Draft shortly thereafter.

Expect a defensive battle. Arizona State will likely come out rusty after having its last three weekends off, while UCLA either throws in redshirt freshman Chase Griffin or junior Dorian Thompson-Robinson – who missed the past two games – under center.

Both offenses will struggle, but the positive momentum developed by the Bruin defense will have them come out on top.

Sam Connon
Football beat reporter
Prediction: UCLA 34, Arizona State 31

Their record may not show it, but the Bruins are hot right now.

A blowout win over California, a close loss to then-No. 11 Oregon and another victory over Arizona represent a solid three-week stretch for UCLA. Arizona State, on the other hand, didn’t play a single game in that time.

Whether that means they come out rusty or well-rested remains to be seen, but the Sun Devils certainly don’t have the same momentum as the Bruins.

In its one game this season, Arizona State blew a 13-point lead to USC. Preseason Heisman hopeful Jayden Daniels completed just 47.8% of his passes for 5.8 yards per attempt. Taking out his 55-yard screen pass touchdown, Daniels passed for 79 yards and a 75.6 passer rating on his other 22 attempts.

Daniels did real damage with his legs, but his inability to pass against a middling Trojan defense is a real concern, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him struggle with an aggressive Bruin squad that leads the conference in both sacks and tackles for loss.

Ideally, Daniels gets to match up against Thompson-Robinson, who should get back on the field after missing the last two games because of COVID-19 contact tracing.

The Bruins still have a chance to win if Griffin is at the helm, but Thompson-Robinson is the one who has what it takes to outduel Daniels and carry UCLA to a winning record for the first time in the Kelly era.

Jon Christon
Assistant Sports editor
Prediction: Arizona State 28, UCLA 24

I’ll be honest – this one is a doozy and I could see the game go either way.

A year ago, UCLA surprisingly took down Arizona State 42-32 at the Rose Bowl, giving the Bruins just their third win of the season at the time. The Sun Devils were favored going in, but that didn’t affect the final score.

That was last year, however, and this year is a completely new beast. With the current uncertainty surrounding the Arizona State program because of COVID-19, predicting what will happen this year is proving to be difficult.

The Sun Devils haven’t played a game since Nov. 7 and before that Dec. 31 of 2019. Who knows what the team will look like after the time off and what lingering effects will come from the positive COVID-19 tests – including one from Edwards.

Despite the COVID-19 concerns, Arizona State is still favored and probably is the better team. Daniels is a young bright spot in the conference, and dominated the matchup versus the Bruins last year, even in the loss, throwing for 267 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.

It’s a bit of a cop-out, but I think the game will finish close, and I’m giving the edge to ASU because of Daniels.

If it comes down to a few plays left at the end of the game like I’m predicting, I’d rather have the ball in Jayden Daniels’ hands than either the newly-returned Thompson-Robinson or the inexperienced Griffin.

Kaiya Pomeroy-Tso
Slot editor
Prediction: UCLA 42, Arizona State 28

I may be a novice at sports writing, but I’m nothing if not a boundless optimist.

The 2019 UCLA-Arizona State game was the first Rose Bowl win I saw as a student, and I’m confident the Bruins will be able to replicate that success Saturday.

That game saw UCLA up 42-10 after the third quarter, followed by Arizona State putting up 22 unanswered points in the last 15 minutes. I don’t see that happening again in 2020, considering the Bruins’ improved ability to close out games this season. This UCLA defense has not allowed a fourth-quarter touchdown in any of its games so far, and there’s no reason for that trend to change.

As usual, much of the speculation around this game centers around Thompson-Robinson. If he suits up for UCLA this week, the best thing he can do for the team is stop literally running away from his problems.

The Bruin offense has only allowed three sacks this year, so he should feel confident he’ll be protected in the pocket. As long as he can avoid turnovers and replicate his 218 total yards from his last matchup against the Sun Devils, he, redshirt senior running back Demetric Felton and the rest of the team should be able to bring this one home.

My optimism alone can’t secure a win for the Bruins, but a performance like last year’s along with UCLA’s improvements in 2020 sure can.