BFS Current Story

ON THE ROAD AGAIN! BEAVERS AT UCLA

11-6-2010 - The Beavers travel to UCLA this week to face a UCLA team that is hungry for a win. This is a game that most of us, including me, expect the Beavers to win. But this season is shaping up to be the season of expect the unexpected. Just go back a few weeks to Husky Stadium when the Beavers went into Seattle expecting to win a game and ended up playing their worst game of the season and losing in double overtime to the Huskies.

We must remember the Ryan Katz, although talented is still only a sophomore. A team that can come up with schemas that can confuse him has a real good chance to stop the Beavers passing game and force them to beat us on the ground. Or worse yet. Completely shut down the running game and force Katz to beat them through the air.

Then there is the Rose Bowl syndrome. A lot of Oregon States young roster of players are from southern California. To them the Rose Bowl is a dream to play in and they can easily get over hyped before the game and play out of control early. Katz is a So. Cal. native. Will his nerves get the better of him today in the Rose Bowl? We will see.

No matter how good or bad UCLA is I always fear going into the Rose Bowl and playing them. UCLA has given the Beavers tough games the last ten years in So. Cal. and also in Corvallis. If the Beavers heads are in the clouds today it will be another bad road trip for the Beavers. Another loss to a PAC-10 team with a losing record will pretty much seal the Beavers fate this year. It will be difficult to come back in the last 4 games with Stanford and Oregon still on the schedule. This is a must win for the Beavers.

BY THE NUMBERS

For what I think is the first time this season the Beavers lead most of the statistical categories. UCLA leads all the kicking categories but our kicking game has sucked most of the year so that is expected. The keys to this game are UCLA's ability to run the ball and UCLA's ability to stop the pass. Both teams come into this game tied for total defense on the season. The combination of UCLA's running offense and passing defense could make a major impact on this game.

KEYS	STATISTIC	OSU	CAL	Advantage
.	Records	4-3(3-1)	3-5(1-4)	OSU
.	Scoring Offense	29.9	21.2	OSU
.	Scoring Defense	27.4	30.4	OSU
.	Total Offense	351.1	312.5	OSU
.	Total Defense	423.0	423.0	TIE
.	Rushing Offense	131.6	192.5	UCLA
.	Rushing Defense	156.0	203.5	OSU
.	Passing Offense	219.6	120.0	OSU
.	Passing Defense	267.0	219.5	UCLA
.	Pass Efficiency	134.9	93.5	OSU
.	Pass Defense Efficiency	146.5	135.0	UCLA
.	Kickoff Returns	27.0	21.5	OSU
.	Punt Return Average	15.9	10.2	OSU
.	Interceptions	8	4	OSU
.	Punting	33.8	40.9	UCLA
.	Kickoff Coverage	42.6	45.2	UCLA
.	Field Goals	3/6	10/12	UCLA
.	PAT Kicking	26/28	18/18	UCLA
.	Sacks by	18	19	UCLA
.	Sacks Against	17	22	OSU
.	First Downs	135	143	UCLA
.	Opponent First Downs	160	183	OSU
.	3rd Down Conversions	39.3	34.0	OSU
.	3rd Down Defense	47.0	47.4	OSU
.	4th Down Conversions	40.0	22.2	OSU
.	4th Down Defense	37.5	54.5	OSU
.	Penalties	53.4	61.8	OSU
.	Time of Possession	29.02	29.33	UCLA
.	Turnover Margin	+9	-7	OSU
.	Red Zone Offense	85.2	76.9	OSU
.	Red Zone Defense	75.0	89.5	OSU
.	Home Field Advantage	-	UCLA	UCLA
32	Totals	20	11	OSU

THE BOTTOM LINE

This is a must win game the for Beavers once again. With Stanford and Oregon still on the schedule we cannot afford to lose this game. For the Beavers to win today the rushing defense has got to come to play like the teams have done over the past 10 years. UCLA cannot pass the ball very well so the Beavers need to shut down the run first and foremost and then the Beavers pass defense just needs to stop the big play.

Ryan Katz has got to continue to learn from his mistakes and stay with what he has done against teams like Cal and Arizona. 2Make smart decisions and throw accurate passes. I don't think the game plan changes much. The passing game will open up the running game for the Beavers. Once the Beavers establish the passing game the running game will open up for Quizz to make some big plays.

I expect the Beavers to come out a little shaky in the first half. The first half will be close or tied but the Beavers will put this game away in the second half.

FINAL SCORE

BEAVERS 31
UCLA 21

GO BEAVERS!

BFS