Predicting the Final Score of UCLA vs. Washington

The No. 18 ranked UCLA Bruins, fresh off an impressive 17-7 home showing against the Arizona Wildcats, travel to Husky Stadium in Seattle Saturday night to take on a Washington Huskies team that has lost two of their last three games and hasn’t defeated a nationally ranked team all season (0-3).

The most compelling storyline of the game, however, isn’t a battle of quarterbacks, but rather a battle of players who play on both sides of the ball. Myles Jack electrified fans last season against the Huskies, rushing 13 times for 59 yards and four touchdowns to lead UCLA to a 41-31 win at the Rose Bowl. This season, however, Jack has been focusing more on the defensive side of the ball and to this point, has only amassed 22 carries for 71 yards and two touchdowns.

Washington, on the other hand, has a player in Shaq Thompson who is moving away from the defensive side of the ball and finding a niche on offense. Up until two weeks ago, Thompson, a junior, had only carried the ball nine times in his collegiate career. It was then that Washington realized the spark plug they had in Thompson and switched him exclusively to offense, and he has thrived. In two games, he has totaled 36 carries for 272 yards and a touchdown, which amounts to 7.6 yards per carry. Last week, he thrashed the Colorado Buffaloes‘ defense for 11.6 yards per rush in 15 carries.

All signs seem to point to a let down from the Bruins in this contest. Washington is second in the nation in sacks with 37, and they feature the national leader in sacks on their defense in Hau’oli Kikaha. UCLA, on the other hand, is worst in the conference and 115th in the nation in allowing 3.33 sacks per game. The Huskies are second in the conference and eighth in the nation in turnover margin at +11, while UCLA is ninth in the conference with a margin of -1.

The constant pressure on the Bruins and their propensity to turn the ball over, coupled with the fact that a grudge match against the USC Trojans awaits the Bruins in their next contest, all adds up to the fact that the Bruins will take a step back in the Pac-12 South and drop this contest to the Huskies 27-21.

Phillip Jacques is a Pac-12 Football writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.