CU Buffs vs. UCLA football: How to watch, storylines and predictions

Colorado (4-3, 1-3 Pac-12) at UCLA (5-2, 2-2)

When/where: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. MT/Rose Bowl

TV/Radio: ABC/850 AM, 94.1 FM

BetMGM Line: UCLA -16.5, 63.5 over/under

Weather: Partly cloudy and around 50 degrees.

Five storylines

The Trail Gets Steep: After barely squeaking by ASU in the desert, then blowing a 29-point halftime lead to Stanford two weeks ago, the Buffs find themselves back in the role of underdogs. UCLA changed quarterbacks last week, switching out five-star freshman Dante Moore for junior Ethan Garbers, then proceeded to stomp Stanford, 42-7. Will the Buffs have any between-game adjustments of their own coming off a bye? Two-way star Travis Hunter was clearly gassed toward the end of the Buffs’ loss to Stanford two weeks ago — his first game back since suffering a lacerated liver in the Rocky Mountain Showdown. Perhaps it’s time to dial back his snaps on one side of the ball?

Buffs’ Yellow Laundry: In the defeat to Stanford, the Buffs were penalized 17 times for 127 yards. Several of those calls, including an unnecessary roughness penalty on Hunter in the second half, fueled the Cardinal comeback. The Buffs are third-worst in FBS in penalty yards per game at 80.0 If CU has any hope of upsetting the Bruins and getting their season back on track, they’ll have to play much more disciplined.

CU Air Raid: Prior to the season, wideout Xavier Weaver predicted that the Buffs would have multiple 1,000-yard pass-catchers for only the second time in program history (and first since Charles E. Johnson and Michael Westbrook in 1992). Last year, no Buffs receiver cracked 500 yards as the Buffs ranked 118th in the nation at 172.9 passing yards per game. But Weaver’s already at 631 yards, and Jimmy Horn Jr.’s at 436. If CU keeps slinging it, both have a chance to hit the 1K mark.

Run, Pass-Pro issues: CU’s lack of a consistent running game factored into fumbling away what should’ve-been a win against Stanford, as the Buffs were unable to control the ball and run clock in the second half. Additionally, QB Shedeur Sanders keeps getting beat up: He’s been sacked 35 times for an FBS-worst 330 yards. CU’s O-line simply has to be much better in both facets, or a once-promising season could spiral quickly down the stretch.

Series history: CU is 5-13 against the Bruins all-time and has not won in Pasadena in over two decades. The Buffs are just 1-8 at the Rose Bowl, with their lone victory coming in a 31-17 game in 2002. In last year’s 45-17 rout in Boulder, UCLA jumped out to a 14-0 lead and never looked back.

Predictions

Kyle Newman, sportswriter: UCLA 35, CU 17

The Buffs’ one-dimensional offense doesn’t cut it against the Bruins, who pick Sanders off twice. Meanwhile, the CU secondary gets exposed again, especially at cornerback, where even Hunter gets burnt for a second straight game — with fatigue likely being a factor.

Sean Keeler, sports columnist: UCLA 33, CU 17

Chip Kelly’s not the star in L.A. — new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn is. The Bruins have faced two top-20 passing offenses at home before The Shedeur Show hits the Arroyo Seco on Saturday: Coastal Carolina and Washington State. The result? Two UCLA wins, just 15 points allowed per game, four picks, two touchdowns allowed. The best way to bump off the Bruins is on the ground. And that ain’t the Buffs’ way.

Matt Schubert, sports editor: UCLA 34, CU 20

UCLA is really good at rushing the passer (8th in FBS, 3.43 sacks/game) and rushing the ball (8th, 215.6 yards/game) — two things the Buffs aren’t particularly great at stopping. Even with the best quarterback (Shedeur Sanders) and overall player (Travis Hunter) on the field, that spells doom for CU.