UCLA @ Oregon State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 6, 2010 ) Oregon State 14, UCLA 17

THE STORY: Two struggling teams with quarterback issues square off when Oregon State hosts UCLA in a Pac-12 matchup in Corvallis. The Beavers are looking to avoid their first 0-3 start since 1996. Redshirt freshman quarterback Sean Mannion will make his first start in place of demoted Ryan Katz. The Bruins have flip-flopped starting signal callers each game and are going back to Richard Brehaut after Kevin Prince had a disastrous three-interception first quarter in last Saturday’s loss to Texas. UCLA’s lone win came against San Jose State.

TV: Prime Ticket, Fox College Sports. LINE: Oregon State -4.

ABOUT OREGON STATE (0-2, 0-0 Pac-12): Standout receiver James Rodgers (knee) will be on the field for the first time this season. Rodgers, a senior who was granted an extra season of eligibility, endured knee surgeries in October and February and holds Oregon State’s all-purpose yardage record (5,784). The Beavers also get senior tight end Joe Halahuni (six TD receptions in 2010) back from spring shoulder surgery. Mannion has completed 66 percent of his passes and is the first freshman to start for Oregon State since Jonathan Smith in 1998. Defensive lineman Castro Masaniai will miss the contest to serve a one-game suspension for an offseason domestic-violence incident. The Beavers were off last weekend.

ABOUT UCLA (1-2, 0-0 Pac-10 South): Junior Johnathan Franklin has eight career 100-yard rushing games and figures to get a lot of carries with UCLA’s passing game in disarray. Franklin has 267 yards and needs 40 yards to become the 16th player in school history with 2,000 rushing yards. Senior Derrick Coleman (199 yards) is averaging 7.1 yards per carry. Brehaut has completed 54.4 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Senior receiver Nelson Rosario is averaging 20.8 yards on 11 catches. The Bruins are allowing 34.7 points and 424.7 yards per game. Junior linebacker Patrick Larimore has a team-best 21 tackles.

EXTRA POINTS

1. UCLA has a 40-15-4 edge in the series and has won three of the last four in Corvallis.

2. Oregon State opened the season with a humbling loss to lower-division Sacramento State and then was blanked by Wisconsin.

3. UCLA is 2-11 in conference road games during Rick Neuheisel’s four seasons as coach.

PREDICTION: UCLA 27, Oregon State 24 – Look for the Bruins’ running game to be the difference between of the conference's weaker programs.