Scouting report: UCLA football vs. Fresno State

By Matthew Niiya
Nov. 29, 2024 4:27 p.m.
UCLA football (4-7, 3-6 Big Ten) will return to the Rose Bowl for one final game against Fresno State (6-5, 4-3 Mountain West) to close out the 2024 season. Coach DeShaun Foster’s first year at the helm and the Bruins’ in a new conference will not end with a bowl game appearance, but they will have a chance to end the campaign on a high note against the Bulldogs. Here is this week’s scouting report from reporter Matthew Niiya, who is sad that this is his final game as a member of the UCLA marching band.
Fresno State’s Offense:
Offensive scheme: Multiple
Run-pass percentage: 48.9% run, 51.1% throw
Strength: Trio of wide receivers
Weakness: Consistency
X-factor: WR Mac Dalena
The last time the Bulldogs and Bruins matched up in 2021, former Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener operated as the field general, orchestrating masterful drives and completing 73.6% of his passes for 455 yards en route to a 40-37 upset victory.
And the current formula resembles that of three years ago – get the ball into the playmakers’ hands.
Fresno State boasts a strong trio at wide receiver – Mac Dalena, Jalen Moss and Raylen Sharpe. The three have a combined 142 catches, 1,937 receiving yards and 14 touchdown grabs this season.
It is Dalena, however, who paces the team in each category. The Fresno local has posted 900 yards and eight scores on 51 catches – highlighted by a 235-yard outburst against Sacramento State on Sept. 7.
Though Dalena has not eclipsed the century mark in any other game this year, he has only been held under 60 yards thrice throughout 11 games.
Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, his consistency has not translated to the rest of the offense in recent weeks. Despite holding halftime leads in each of the previous three games, only one has resulted in a win for Fresno State.
The offensive unit generated just seven second-half points across this stretch as leads against Hawaiʻi and Air Force slipped away.
Although quarterback Mikey Keene is currently in his second year with the program, his performance has arguably taken a bit of a slide. He has tossed just 17 touchdowns to 11 interceptions – a mark worse than his 24 touchdowns and 10 picks a year ago.
Keene may not be the only signal-caller the Bruins will see lined up in the backfield. Joshua Wood has only attempted four passes but has seen plenty of action in short yardage and goal line situations, barreling into the end zone five times.
Regardless of who is under center, Fresno State will need to put two complete halves of football together to log another tally in the win column.
Fresno State’s Defense:
Defensive scheme: 4-3
Strength: Pass Defense
Weakness: Second-half dropoff
X-factor: DB Cam Lockridge
Cam Lockridge has been a lockdown corner – that is, when he’s been on the field.
The senior defensive back is tied for third in the nation with five interceptions and has both a forced fumble and fumble recovery to his name. However, Lockridge has had minimal involvement with the team for the past three weeks.
A targeting call in the second half against Hawai’i resulted in his first-half suspension against Air Force – contests that both ended in a Fresno State loss.
Lockridge was then absent for his team’s most recent game against Colorado State. His disappearance has been explained as both an injury and a personal matter, leaving his availability for Saturday’s game unclear.
If Lockridge suits up, the Bruins will need to be especially mindful when throwing at him, although the Bulldog pass defense has been a solid unit as a whole over the course of the season.
It allows opponents to complete just 53% of their passes – the fourth-best mark in the nation. And despite opponents attempting the eighth-most passes per game, the Bulldogs are still inside the top half of the country in passing yards given up per contest.
However, Fresno State’s pass rush and run defense are both middle of the road.
Four players are tied for the team lead with three sacks each – among them is former USC defensive lineman Korey Foreman, whose interception sealed a win over UCLA in 2022.
Linebacker Tuasivi Nomura leads the squad with 90 tackles, spearheading a defense that allows four yards per carry – 58th best in the nation.
Much like the offense, Fresno State’s defense has struggled to replicate its success from the first half into the latter period. In each of the past three games, opponents have upped their scoring total coming out of the locker rooms after halftime.
A combination of not responding to opponent adjustments or a lack of depth could be blamed for the dropoff, but against a flailing UCLA offense with little to play for other than pride, the Fresno State defense has a chance to find success ahead of an eventual bowl game.