The second half of our Pac-12 Game of the Week series is here, and UCLA is featured in five of the seven matchups.
Here are weeks 8-14:
Week Eight: UCLA vs. Stanford
Although the Pac-12 Championship Game has only been around for two years, last year’s contest between the Bruins and Cardinal at Stanford Stadium will go down as one of the most entertaining of all time. The Cardinal won that game on a late field goal only a week after they went into the Rose Bowl and beat the Bruins 35-17. The media picked UCLA to win the Pac-12 South while Stanford was picked second in the North, so this game could be a key determinant in who makes it back to the title game.
Week Nine: UCLA vs. Oregon
If UCLA thought it was difficult to go play at Stanford, facing Oregon a week later will be miserable. Bruins sophomore quarterback Brett Hundley hasn’t faced the Autzen crowd before, so his ability to control the game and the crowd will be crucial to the Bruins’ chances of winning. At this point he should be battle tested, though, especially due to the Stanford game. Like last week’s UCLA-Stanford matchup, this could be a preview of the Pac-12 Championship Game as both schools were selected to finish at the top of their respective divisions.
Week 10: USC vs. Oregon State
These two schools have played some memorable games the past few years, but haven’t met up since 2010 when the Beavers took it to Trojans 36-7 in Corvallis. The Beavers have won the last three matchups at home, and if the Trojans want to take that next step under Lane Kiffin, these are the types of games they will have to win. Hopefully for the Beavers, they will have their starting quarterback spot locked down at this point of the season because senior defensive end Morgan Breslin and the Trojans' defense will be one of the most potent forces in the league.
Week 11: Oregon vs. Stanford
California and Stanford own the “Big Game”, but the Oregon-Stanford matchup is quickly becoming the game in the Pac-12. The Cardinal dashed the Ducks’ title hopes last year in Eugene, so Oregon would like nothing more than to return the favor in Palo Alto. There’s a good chance both teams will be in the top 10 when this game comes around, which will only heighten the importance of a victory. The quarterback matchup between sophomore Marcus Mariota and junior Kevin Hogan should be entertaining as well considering the both of them are expected to have great seasons, especially Mariota.
Week 12: Washington vs. UCLA
The Huskies believe this is their year to compete with the big dogs of the Pac-12, and there’s no better place to do it than the granddaddy of them all, the Rose Bowl. Steve Sarkisian’s offense is dynamic with the likes of senior quarterback Keith Price, sophomore running back Bishop Sankey and junior tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins. That offensive trio will be hard for any defense to stop, and Bruins senior linebacker Anthony Barr, who finished second in Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year voting last season, will have his hands full.
Week 13: ASU vs. UCLA
Sun Devil players, coaches and fans all agree last season’s UCLA game was the one that kept them from the Pac-12 South title. The Sun Devils made a valiant comeback late in the fourth quarter to take a 43-42 lead with 1:33 to go, but they couldn’t hold the Bruins offense as freshman kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked a game-winning 33-yard field goal with no time left to give UCLA a 45-43 victory. The Bruins have been a sore spot on the Sun Devils’ schedule in recent years, so a win over UCLA at the Rose Bowl could not only give them prime position for this year’s South title but also get the monkey off their back.
Week 14: UCLA vs. USC
The last two years of this rivalry have been peculiar to say the least. Two years ago, the Trojans embarrassed the Bruins 50-0 at the Coliseum, but because of NCAA sanctions were not allowed to play in the Pac-12 Championship Game. Instead, the Bruins made it and did so again last year, knocking off the Trojans 38-28 at the Rose Bowl in a de-facto playoff to reach the title game. USC is going to be dead set on revenge, but beating the Bruins in Pasadena will be no easy task.
Reach the reporter at dsshapi1@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @Danny__Shapiro
