How many picks do you think Kevin Craft throws this week vs. USC defense?

[Conan]

I agree that UCLA has a great coaching staff and should do very well in the years to come. However, today, the team stinks. They ran the ball pretty well against Fresno, fairly well against AZ and ok against WA. The rest of their games the run was completely shut down by some pretty pedestrian PAC-10 defenses. USC is on a whole different level. As far as players knowing one another from high school, ask TX A&M, FL St, Miss St how well that motivation helped them--all are bad teams that were blown out by their local adversary. I am sure Carroll remembers the advertisement that Rick took out in the local newspaper at the beginning of the year, and will be looking to lay a beatdown to remind him of how big a hill UCLA has to climb.

I will agree that the under might be a good play as I don't see UCLA scoring more than 7.

OK if you think that A&M, FL St. and MS St. getting blown out has anything to do with this game and there's going to be a 50 point blowout and under 47.5 sounds good. Then there's nothing more I can tell you.

But just to be kind, I think your take on the under holds some weight. I just hammered it myself. It makes no sense to expect Craft to do the same thing week in and week out, especially in this game. Maybe he'll throw a pick or two, maybe even 3. But pick 6's? It would take at least 3 of them to put this game into over territory. Even then USC may not press the score and change their game plan to staying on the ground (except in 3rd and long situations) and just getting it over with.

 

[Mr.Cover123]

Only way UCLA covers is if USC doesn't score over 33 points which could happen. I remember I took ASU earlier this year +28.5 and they lost 28-0. First time I got a cover without scoring a point.

 

[Conan]

Only way UCLA covers is if USC doesn't score over 33 points which could happen. I remember I took ASU earlier this year +28.5 and they lost 28-0. First time I got a cover without scoring a point.

I think USC could put up 40 and the game could still stay under (47.5). I don't think they will get 40 here. UCLA will do everything in their power to slow down USC's offense. They should have some success with that. Only Kevin Craft could blow this play. UCLA should cover if Craft doesn't blow it, but the under I believe is safer because of UCLA's defense.

 

[Proman]

ucla will start using clock on their first drive........ neuheisel wont let craft throw............

UCLA running game is horrendous. Kraft will have to throw whether UCLA fans like it or not.

 

[Conan]

UCLA running game is horrendous. Kraft will have to throw whether UCLA fans like it or not.

The UCLA running game is not horrendous. Their ypg average seems low because it WAS horrendous at the start of the season. I figure they are good for 110-120 yards all told on the ground, possibly slightly better but I think I'm close. Kahlil Bell should get about 70-80+ and the freshman RB who's name escapes me is a future star and he'll contribute 30 or so. The yards won't come in droves but you also have to consider screens and short passes to the outside as an extension of their rushing game too. However I agree Craft will have to throw.

 

[Delta00]

The UCLA running game is not horrendous. Their ypg average seems low because it WAS horrendous at the start of the season. I figure they are good for 110-120 yards all told on the ground, possibly slightly better but I think I'm close. Kahlil Bell should get about 70-80+ and the freshman RB who's name escapes me is a future star and he'll contribute 30 or so. The yards won't come in droves but you also have to consider screens and short passes to the outside as an extension of their rushing game too. However I agree Craft will have to throw.

You're a little confused here....UCLA O-Line does not succeed at either run or pass blocking, Bell has been a dud since his injury. Carter never can stay on the field and never has done anything. Colemand and Dean have barely shown anything, no way UCLA runs for more than 100 this game.

 

[Conan]

You're a little confused here....UCLA O-Line does not succeed at either run or pass blocking, Bell has been a dud since his injury. Carter never can stay on the field and never has done anything. Colemand and Dean have barely shown anything, no way UCLA runs for more than 100 this game.

I think you and me might be mincing words a bit. What's 20 yards +/-? Your numbers are not far off from mine. We may both be overly optimistic.

However compared to UCLA, Arizona St. has nothing. They have been consistently bad from the start. I do realize that one of UCLA's problems has been its OL. They are worse than most but better than before. I'm just suggesting that UCLA will get some yards because they've done "not quite as horrible" for the past couple of games. Their blocking patterns have actually worked for a couple games compared to having nothing that works at all. I guess it's a hard thing to notice when your QB tosses 6 pick 6's in those same 2 games. But if USC's DL is up to it and plays a near perfect game, UCLA won't even run for 50.

 

[fugazi]

UCLa's only chance to keep this game close is if they win the turnover battle which will be a tough task with Captain Kraft.

 

[Pick'n-Play]

I am going to go ahead and say it now..

UCLA 24 USC 21

HAHAHAHAHA!

ML BABY!

 

[Pick'n-Play]

seriously though, I lean for UCLA to cover this spread. I think Kraft will have a decent day and the game should be within 10 to 17.

 

[DA_MOSS]

seriously though, I lean for UCLA to cover this spread. I think Kraft will have a decent day and the game should be within 10 to 17.

???????????:lolBIG:

 

[Proman]

The UCLA running game is not horrendous. Their ypg average seems low because it WAS horrendous at the start of the season. I figure they are good for 110-120 yards all told on the ground, possibly slightly better but I think I'm close. Kahlil Bell should get about 70-80+ and the freshman RB who's name escapes me is a future star and he'll contribute 30 or so. The yards won't come in droves but you also have to consider screens and short passes to the outside as an extension of their rushing game too. However I agree Craft will have to throw.

I do not think Bell has had 50 yards in a game this year. Granted, he has not been healthy and the OL play has been dreadful. Last your before he got injuried, he was playing at a high level. Not the case this year and I do not see him having a "break out" game against USC.

 

[Legend-I-Aint]

Folks here are over estimating this USC offense and under estimating the UCLA defense.

If you have been following along closely USC on offense is like an old Volkswagen Bug. It sputters and stutters on every other drive but once in a while it gets humming pretty good. The UCLA defense is not terrible and will definitely put up a fight.

 

[fugazi]

I don't think people here doubt that UCLA's defense can handle USC's very average offense, the problem is that UCLA"s offense is likely to be USC"s best offense.
If Captain Kraft is his normal self he will spot SC 2-3 TD's himself. I'm very confident that straight up UCLA's defense can shut out or hold SC's offense to 1 TD, but I'm worried that UCLA's Offense is going to consistently put UCLA's defense into very bad spots by committing turnovers and not advancing the ball or eating up the clock to give them rest and eventually the SC defense will wear down.
UCLA's best chance to win this game is to not let SC score in that first quarter and to score first. IF they score first then their defense will do the rest if the offense doesn't spot SC points.

 

[ElTaino]

I don't think people here doubt that UCLA's defense can handle USC's very average offense, the problem is that UCLA"s offense is likely to be USC"s best offense.
If Captain Kraft is his normal self he will spot SC 2-3 TD's himself. I'm very confident that straight up UCLA's defense can shut out or hold SC's offense to 1 TD, but I'm worried that UCLA's Offense is going to consistently put UCLA's defense into very bad spots by committing turnovers and not advancing the ball or eating up the clock to give them rest and eventually the SC defense will wear down.
UCLA's best chance to win this game is to not let SC score in that first quarter and to score first. IF they score first then their defense will do the rest if the offense doesn't spot SC points.

although usc has won the game by more than 20 in 5 of the past 9 years since petey took over, and 2 by more than 30, i think you have something here. not to mention, dont you think that norm chow knows pete a little bit by now and sold out secrets to dewayne walker and the defense. with usc's average (at best) offense, and because this IS the season for ucla and its seniors, i expect them to step up. coupled with the fact that usc is stuck with the chore of blowing out penn st in january makes this game almost meaningless as far as the bcs, and a simple usc victory, even by 20 will get them to the rose bowl. pete, has for some reason has voiced his respect for neuheisel, and because of the jersey and timeout situation that they agreed on made pete very happy, he may for once in his coaching career show some class and call off the dogs when he is up by oh lets say 25. (28-3(a lucky fg)) but in the case that ucla for some reason pulls a stanford size upset (usc is known for prolific collapses to bad teams) i'll be tivo-ing the game so i can rewind and see the look on peteys face, because when he loses, its the best look in all of sports. the only face that even rivals it is neuheisels face when craft throws an interception. but we see that face at least twice a week here in LA.