2017 Oregon Foootball vs UCLA: Who To Watch, In Game Updates, and Analysis
Oregon(4-3 1-3 Pac-12) heads South to Pasadena for a Conference matchup against UCLA(3-3, 1-2 Pac-12)
Oregon Football Gameday Livestream vs UCLA
The 2017 Season for Oregon Football started out with a lot of promise and a touchdown return for 100 yards from Tony Brooks-James. Since the game against Southern Utah, the road has been bumpy, with the injuries to key members of the Oregon Offense. Quarterback Justin Herbert had Oregon on pace for over 60 points per game last month, but a shoulder injury has sidelined him and forced Freshman Braxton Burmeister into duty.
Burmeister is a Freshman with a ton of potential, but he has been unable to show he can run the Oregon Football Offense effectively. The Oregon Run Game is strong, led by Royce Freman, Kani Benoit, and Brooks-James respectively. Saturday they face a team that also started the season on a high note.
The UCLA Bruins began 2017 ranked in the Top 20, but have since fallen to 3-3 on the year Quarterback Josh Rosen will be one to watch today. Both teams are looking for a win, but the Bruins are more desperate as a win could get them back in the right direction and possibly save Jim Mora and the Coaching Staff.
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It appears that Braxton Burmeister will get his third start at Quarterback this week, with Herbert still sidelined. Herbert did practice this week and threw the ball well, but I expect this is a rehab move, not a game preparation move. Of course, it is Oregon and we have seen ‘surprises’ before.
On paper, through their early struggles, this game is pretty evenly matched. Both teams started hot, but have cooled off. With Burmeister unable to score or lead much of the Ducks Offense, the season average of points per game is sitting around 32 points for both the Ducks and Bruins.
The Oregon Defense has been steady all season and I expect that could be the difference of the game. Oregon has just a single interception in Pac-12 play this season. The UCLA Defense is in the bottom half of the country in efficiency. If Oregon allows Burmeister to throw even short to mid range passes, it should be enough to keep the Ducks in the game with a chance to turn their own season around.
Oregon Football faces UCLA on Saturday at 1 pm Pacific Time on Pac-12 Network.