UCLA Football: 2013 Game Predictions
By Derek Hart
Dec 27, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins coach Jim Mora watches on the sidelines against the Baylor Bears in the 2012 Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. Baylor defeated UCLA 49-26. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports
In nine days (from the writing of this article), UCLA’s football team will begin their season.
Since I began covering this team in 2008, I have put together a game-by-game list of how I think the Bruins will fare against the teams they will face.
I have already stated in an earlier post that Jim Mora’s team will go 8-4 this upcoming season, with a decent shot at 9-3 if they go undefeated at home.
Now I will break that prediction down by listing the Bruins’ opponents and my prognostications of what the results of those games will be:
Saturday, August 31 – Nevada: WIN
This Moutntain West Conference squad from Reno is pretty good; they have an explosive offense, particularly on the ground, and will come out hard and give UCLA a game, but with a new coach and coming off a 7-6 record, the Bruins should win going away.
Saturday, September 14 – at Nebraska: LOSS
This Cornhusker team is looking for revenge after losing to the Bruins at the Rose Bowl last year, plus they are at home, where they have sold out every game since forever. It won’t be a blowout as UCLA will be competitive and score points on offense, but the home field and revenge factor will be too much for Mora and company.
Saturday, September 21 – New Mexico State: BIG WIN
It’s not my intention to belittle any opponent, but this is the Bruins’ cupcake team. They should be favored by roughly 30 points, and if they don’t cover the spread, concerns will arise.
Thursday, October 3 – at Utah: WIN
This Ute team is the better among the two Pac-12 newcomers, and it will be a tough atmosphere at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, but UCLA should prevail in this conference opener.
Jun 20, 2013; Pasadena, CA, USA; General view of the UCLA Bruins locker room inside the Rose Bowl Stadium. For the first time in the facility
Saturday, October 12 – California: WIN
The home team has won every game in this all-U.C. series for a while now, and with this game being at home and the Bruins looking to redeem themselves from their bad showing in Berkeley in 2012, I don’t expect things to be any different here.
Saturday, October 19 – at Stanford: LOSS
The “Death March” begins here, and while I see UCLA giving the Cardinal a fight much like they did in last year’s Pac-12 title game, Stanford is simply too strong on defense for me to predict a win on the Farm.
Saturday, October 26 – at Oregon: LOSS
Part two of the “Death March”; I think the Bruins will come out hard in Eugene, but in the end they’ll be unable to cope with the Ducks’ overwhelming speed and crowd advantage that the fans at Autzen Stadium give their top-five team.
Saturday, November 2 – Colorado: BIG WIN
While these Buffaloes are not as much of a cupcake as New Mexico State, this has been a team in disarray for a few years now, and are enough of a cupcake so UCLA shouldn’t have any problem with them.
Saturday, November 9 – at Arizona: CLOSE WIN
Much like Nebraska, these Wildcats will be desperate to avenge their 66-10 pasting at the hands of the Bruins last season. They are not quite as talented as the Cornhuskers, but as this game is in Tucson it will be a real fight. I think it will come down to the last minute with UCLA prevailing, however.
Friday, November 15 – Washington: A CLOSE, HARD-FOUGHT WIN
These Huskies are talented with a good offense, and it will be a battle under the rare Friday Night Lights, but the Bruins being at home and the energy that will bring will be the deciding factor.
Saturday, November 23 – Arizona State: TOSS-UP, BUT LEANING TOWARD A CLOSE WIN
This will be UCLA’s toughest home game, as not only are the Sun Devils picked by many to finish second in the Pac-12 South, they are foaming at the mouth to beat the Bruins after their last two meetings with UCLA ended in close losses. Being at the Rose Bowl will help, but right now pundits are saying that this game will be a showdown for the division title.
November 17, 2012; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins marching band before the game against the USC Trojans at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Putting it another way: If I was an ASU student, fan, or alum, I would be circling this date on the calendar and acting like Captain Ahab did in regards to Moby Dick.
Saturday, November 30 – at USC: TO BE DETERMINED
It was a great win for the Bruins over these crosstown rivals last season, but this is a game where I will not predict a winner until the week of the annual clash, for two reasons:
1. It’s a rivalry game and – as the cliche goes – anything can happen, and…
2. I want to see how the season unfolds for the Bruins and Trojans before making any bold prognostications.
I will say one thing, though; it’s one thing for UCLA to beat USC at home, but a whole other animal to beat them at the Coliseum, which they haven’t done since 1997.
For these Bruins to truly take back Los Angeles and show that last year’s triumph wasn’t a fluke, they must win in front of what’s sure to be a very hostile Trojan faithful.
Well, there you have it: my game-by-game predictions for this UCLA team.
I’m no psychic, but if the results of these contests match what I have said here…
Remember that you heard it from me first.
WHAT DO YOU THINK L.A. SPORTS HUBBERS – DO YOU AGREE WITH THESE PREDICTIONS?