The No. 13 UCLA Bruins had the perfect season opener. Rookie quarterback Josh Rosen seems to have filled in the gap left by Brett Hundley nicely with a big performance. The same can’t be said for the UNLV Rebels, though. Despite storming to a half-time lead, the Rebels found themselves on the losing end of a come-from-behind victory.
Can the Bruins’ rookie quarterback continue to excel against a deflated UNLV team? Read on for everything you need to know heading into this game.
True freshman Josh Rosen made his collegiate debut as UCLA’s new starting quarterback after Brett Hundley was drafted into the NFL. The freshman couldn’t have had a better start to his collegiate career, passing for 351 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-16 victory over Virginia.
[sc:NCAA240banner ]Rosen went 28 for 35 with scoring passes to Thomas Duarte, Devin Fuller and even defensive tackle Kenny Clark. With experienced receivers in Duarte and Jordan Payton, the team’s top two receivers last season, Rosen should be able to exploit a vulnerable UNLV passing defense, one that allowed 360 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1.
The Bruins also have a pair of capable backs to draw some of the pressure away from Rosen. Running back Paul Perkins ran for 59 yards on 14 carries against Virginia, while fullback Soso Jamabo racked up 79 yards on nine carries. The Rebels allowed three rushing touchdowns in Week 1, therefore the Bruins should be able to put some points on the board with their running game.
UCLA’s defense also held up in Week 1. The Bruins’ front seven tallied five tackles for loss to help stall Virginia’s offense. Defensive lineman Eddie Vanderdoes led the way with two tackles for loss, while linebacker Deon Hollins was just a step behind with 1.5.
The Bruins have won nine straight on the road, but have gone just 5-4 against the spread.
Think UCLA can contend with a stellar rookie quarterback? Create a betting account now and get the best odds and lines for your college football action.
Betting on the UNLV Rebels
That was a bummer for the UNLV Rebels. They led 17-3 at the halfway point of their season opener against Northern Illinois, only to be outplayed in the second half of a 38-30 loss. Quarterback Blake Decker was solid, though, passing for 319 yards and two touchdowns.
A strong passing game may be enough to lead UNLV to a home victory against UCLA as the Bruins allowed Virginia to pass for 238 yards in the opener. The Rebels have a couple of receivers who could outplay the UCLA’s secondary; Devonte Boyd caught five passes for 107 yards and 64-yard touchdown against Northern Illinois, while Aaron Criswell caught three passes for 61 yards and a score of his own.
The two wide receivers should be deadly if Decker can clean up his passes. The quarterback made just 21 of 39 passes in Week 1. Running the ball better should help relieve some of the pressure on the passing game. The Rebels ran for just 3.5 yards per carry as the rushing offense stalled against Northern Illinois, with running back Keith Whitely running for 68 yards on 21 carries. Whitely may struggle even more to gain some momentum against a UCLA side that allowed just a little under a hundred rushing yards in its first game.
On the other hand, the Rebels could put some pressure on UCLA’s rookie quarterback. UNLV had three sacks in Week 1 courtesy of Sonny Sanitoa, Tau Lotulelei and Peni Vea. Putting in a solid pass rush should help UCLA’s offense stall, especially if the Rebels can get their hands on Rosen.
UNLV has lost four of its last five games at home, going 1-4 ATS.
