10-22-2015, 11:33 AM
The not-quite-rock-bottom APR U (happy Outsider Fan?)/UCLA game will be interesting and will tell us a lot. If UCLA wins (and we beat UW Saturday), it will give us a two-game lead in the Pac-12 North over Cal, Washington State (if it beats Arizona), and Oregon. It will also reaffirm the importance of our dominant win over UCLA, and suggests that our view of Cal as a somewhat improved team whose record was inflated by playing a bunch of weak teams is more or less accurate.
On the other hand, if Cal beats UCLA, it will tell us that our win over UCLA carries less currency, since that was an injury-riddled sinking ship in the midst of a 3-game losing streak who will be 4-3 (1-3 in conference), and that Cal is probably reasonably good (unless UCLA totally collapses and proceeds to lose to Colorado and/or Oregon State in the next couple weeks) and a legitimate threat in Big Game.
UCLA is favored by 4, but I expect Cal to win. They have been good this year sacking the quarterback and gaining interceptions and are going up against an injured offensive line and a freshman quarterback who is prone to mistakes. On defense, UCLA is "fragile". Without Lasco, Cal's running game isn't as strong as it was, but they should still be able to run against UCLA's poor front 7. And while UCLA's DB's are a bit better, Goff should be able to pick them apart. I'm thinking a 40's - 30's type of game here. But we will see how far UCLA has fallen, or if Cal is just overrated.
BC
On the other hand, if Cal beats UCLA, it will tell us that our win over UCLA carries less currency, since that was an injury-riddled sinking ship in the midst of a 3-game losing streak who will be 4-3 (1-3 in conference), and that Cal is probably reasonably good (unless UCLA totally collapses and proceeds to lose to Colorado and/or Oregon State in the next couple weeks) and a legitimate threat in Big Game.
UCLA is favored by 4, but I expect Cal to win. They have been good this year sacking the quarterback and gaining interceptions and are going up against an injured offensive line and a freshman quarterback who is prone to mistakes. On defense, UCLA is "fragile". Without Lasco, Cal's running game isn't as strong as it was, but they should still be able to run against UCLA's poor front 7. And while UCLA's DB's are a bit better, Goff should be able to pick them apart. I'm thinking a 40's - 30's type of game here. But we will see how far UCLA has fallen, or if Cal is just overrated.
BC