Gameday Predictions: UCLA Vs. Cincinnati



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Sam Connon
Sports Editor

Prediction: Cincinnati 30, UCLA 24

When I started thinking about my prediction of play this week, I was really inclined to choose the Bruins.

Coach Chip Kelly and UCLA football have conducted energetic, seemingly fun practices. Sophian quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson is no longer a freshman and Senior Redshirt midfielder Joshua Kelley has a full season ahead of him – there's plenty to do to feel good for the 2019 season .

However, there was only one problem: I can not look beyond the hard facts.

The Bruins were almost about to beat the Bearcats in 2018, but that does not change the fact that Cincinnati has not lost a home opener since 2001. Coach Luke Fickell took his team to 11-2 and Military Bowl's victory in his second year with the program and he has a decisive pillar in double-threat quarterback Desmond Ridder.

UCLA obviously did not fail to sniff this success.

In terms of talent, however, I'm not sure that the Bearcats have a spectacular advantage over the Bruins. At the quarterback – assuming Thompson-Robinson makes a solid jump in the second year as I expect him to be – it's actually a wash. The same goes for the half, because Kelley and Michael Warren II have amassed about 1,500 yards in 2018.

Even Vegas is not too sure of this game. Cincinnati has only three points, despite his field advantage.

But it's hard to pick patterns and streaks, too, leaving my blind optimism behind, I'll take the Bearcats in a tight match.

Ryan Smith
Football drummer journalist
Prediction: UCLA 26, Cincinnati 20

The second year of Chip Kelly is upon us, and although I do not tell you what you should feel at the beginning of the season, I will tell you that there is something to be optimistic about.

For starters, the Bruins are a healthy team. The loss of the red linebacker, Tyree Thompson, is definitely a success that will take some time to adapt, but having 21 out of 22 regular starters in good health and ready to go is still impressive.

There is no doubt that it is the Thompson-Robinson team. The second-year quarterback was back and forth in training last season due to injuries and some rookie errors, but he is now the # 1 player and has only rave reviews from camp.

Cincinnati, on the other hand, is a good team that has just won a season of 11 wins that ended with a Military Bowl victory over Virginia Tech.

However, for this first prediction of the season, I'll tell you all about the numbers because the numbers are fun and – more importantly – they never lie.

Since my birth in 1998, UCLA has opened 15-6 players early in the season and has never lost more than twice in five years during this period.

But that's where it gets interesting.

The Bruins are 2-2 in their previous four selections, which means – if you're paying attention – the numbers will tell you a victory is imminent. So forget that Cincinnati went 11-2 last year and beat UCLA at the Rose Bowl because, again, the numbers never lie.

Jason Maikis
Assistant Sports Editor
Prediction: UCLA 30, Cincinnati 21

Chip Kelly is back in Westwood for his second season with a chance to improve the team's dull record, 3-9, from the previous year.

Good news for Bruins fans: Kelly's first year in Oregon was also the worst. The Ducks' 10 wins were their least during her tenure there and this is the only time they finished off the top 10 with Kelly at the helm.

Cincinnati will start the year with an 11-2 win, including an opening win against UCLA and a 35-31 victory over Virginia Tech in the Military Bowl.

The Bearcats are returning most of their offensive lineup this year, including Ridder, the double threat and Warren II, who burned UCLA's defense for 142 rushing yards in the first game of last season.

However, the UCLA defense will oppose fierce opposition. Atonio Mafi, a sophomore, and Osa Odighizuwa, junior of the red shirt, block the threat of Cincy's two-headed head. One of the keys to Bruin's defense will be to limit big games in the passing game against his inexperienced side.

On the attacking side of the ball, the Bruins' attack will be focused on Kelley and his 1,243 yards on the ground. The only problem is that the Cincinnati defense allowed 3.38 yards per attempt last season, which is 13th in the country.

However, Thompson-Robinson will be healthy and ready to attack his second season. If his offensive linemen can hold him in a standing position, expect air damage involving senior Theo Howard and junior Redshirt, Devin Asiasi, while the Bearcats are in contact with Kelley.

The difference will be special teams.

Penalties and a few defeats by top kicker JJ Molson hurt the Bruins in a few close games last year. This year, a special touchdown and a good Molson day will give UCLA the advantage over Cincinnati.

Gabriel McCarthy
Senior executives
Prediction: Cincinnati 23, UCLA 17

I really want to give UCLA a chance.

But I'm not optimistic about the Bruins in their first game back. Cincinnati will prove to be a tough opponent for Kelly because the Bearcats are a thriving program after finishing 11-2 last season – their second record in the school's history.

The main disadvantage of this game is that it is a replay of the opening game last year, a game that I really thought could be won. However, the match is far from the Rose Bowl this time and features much of the same Cincinnati team that beat UCLA 26-17 to start 2018.

I do not know how the Bearcats clung to Fickell after his success last season. He was joined by a number of high-performance players in attack and defense. Warren II ran for 1.329 yards and 19 goals last season and will remain a threat against a Bruin defense that had similar difficulties last season and still does not know what to do.

Let's hope the game answers the question of how much Thompson-Robinson grew up in the spring and fall camps as he became more sensitive to Kelly's offensive. The vengeance narrative makes the prediction of a UCLA win attractive, as is the hope that Kelly will enter his sophomore year, but the Bruins are still a changing team.

It will be tight, but I just can not predict a Bruin win against the growing Bearcats.

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