The scuffling Utes welcome in the bruised and battered Bruins this week.
Utah (4-4, 1-4) hosts UCLA (4-4, 2-3) Friday at Rice-Eccles Stadium at 7:30 p.m., looking to snap its first four-game losing streak since 2013. The Utes are coming off a 41-20 thumping at Oregon over the weekend, while UCLA just gave up 333 yards rushing on 58 attempts in its 44-23 loss at No. 12 Washington.
Through eight games, the Bruins are allowing 307.1 yards per game on the ground, dead-last in the Pac-12 Conference. Conversely, Utah is eighth overall in the Pac-12 at the moment in rushing yards per game with 146.8.
Can the Utes take advantage of UCLA’s ongoing struggles defending the run?
“What better chance to try to bounce back than this?” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “They have had their issues with the run game as well. Their game last week against Washington was very similar to our game against Oregon.”
UCLA star quarterback Josh Rosen left the third quarter of Saturday’s loss at Washington with an injured hand. According to SI.com, Rosen’s hand injury hasn’t been deemed too serious. The 6-foot-4 junior who has thrown for 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season missed last year’s meeting between the Utes and Bruins do to an injury.
Utah beat UCLA 52-45 at the Rose Bowl last October, but allowed 464 yards passing and five touchdowns to Bruin back-up quarterback Mike Fafaul.
This story will be updated.