College Football Week 1 continues tonight and we will see the Nevada Wolf Pack travel to Los Angeles to take on the UCLA Bruins. The start time is 10:00 pm (Eastern) and the game will be televised on the PAC-12 Network. Current Odds have UCLA listed as 21 point favorites, while the total sits at 66.
Analysis: Chris Ault is gone after 28 years in Nevada and former Texas A&M special teams coach, Brian Polian, steps in. This is Polian's first head coaching job and he has some big shoes to fill as Ault got the Wolf Pack to bowls in eight straight seasons and in 2010 into the national rankings for just the second time ever. The Wolf Pack ranked eighth in total offense (514.9 ypg) last year and they have 6 starters back on offense this year, including QB Fajardo, who threw for 2786 yards, with 20 TDs and 9 INTs last year. He is a dual threat QB who was also 2nd on the team in rushing with 1121 yards as 12 Tds. The leading rusher from last year, Stephon Jefferson (1883 yards, 24 Tds) is gone and that leaves a hole in the running game. JUCO transfer Don Jackson should step in but really has no experience, while the WR corp is solid with it top 2 back from last year, including Brandon Wimberly, who had 70 catches for 845 yards and 4 Tds a year ago. Defense is where this team will have some problems. Last year they allowed 33.8 ppg and they lose 7 of their top 8 tacklers from that unit. DE Brock Hekking is the leading returning tackler with 75 stops last year and he had 8 sacks as well. The DL is veteran and the strength of this unit, but the DB's and LB's are rated near the bottom of the MWC.
The UCLA Bruins are a threat once again in the PAC-12, thanks to Jim Mora, who took them to a 9-5 record last year. This year he has 12 starters back, but just 5 on defense, so he does have some work to do. Dual threat QB Brett Hundley is back to lead this offense after throwing for 3,745 yards and 29 touchdowns last year, while also running for 355 yards and another 9 touchdowns. Being only a Sophomore, he will only get better. The Bruins bring back 9 of their top 12 pass catchers from a year ago, including leading WR Shaq Evans (60 rec, 877 yards and 3 TD's last year). The OL allowed a whopping 52 sacks last year, but should be much improved with 4 starters back this year. The biggest loss on the UCLA offense was Jonathan Franklin ( 1734 yrds, 13 TD's). Franklin's spot will be fill by the duo of Jordon James and Paul Perkins, but they will not produce like Franklin did. UCLA improved slightly on defense last year and there are some key players to build around, including LB's Anthony Barr (13.5 sacks and 6 more TFL) and Erik Kendricks (150 tackles and 2 sacks last year). The DL is solid with 2 starters back including Cassius Marsh, who returns his senior year. Last year he secondary had their problems, allowing 251 ypg through the air and his year they lose all 4 starters from that group, so they should struggle again.
Pick: Going with the Bruins here. There is allot of excitement surrounding this team and they want to get out to a good start. They do have Nebraska on deck, but a bye week comes first, so there should be no look-a-head in this one for them. For Nevada, they have a new head coach and plenty of questions at RB and on defense. This team will score points this year, but they are mostly a running team and UCLA's problem will be defending the pass this year. The Bruins want a big win to start the year off on the right foot and they should get it with a big win in this one.
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