Washington State @ UCLA preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 10, 2012 ) UCLA 44, Washington State 36

Records are poised to fall Saturday, when UCLA hosts Washington State in a Pac-12 showdown at the Rose Bowl. Washington State quarterback Luke Falk needs two touchdown passes to break the school's single-season record, wide receiver Gabe Marks needs three receptions to become the Cougars' career leader and UCLA kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn is one point shy of tying the Pac-12 scoring mark.

Much more will be on the line than just individual accomplishments as both the Bruins and Cougars can't afford another loss if they hope to win their respective divisions within the conference. UCLA enters one game behind Utah in the South - with those teams scheduled to meet next weekend in Salt Lake City - while Washington State trails Stanford by two in the North and already has lost to the Cardinal. The Bruins haven't faced Washington State since 2012, when the host Cougars pulled out a 44-35 win in coach Mike Leach's first year with the club. Both teams enter on a high note, as Washington State has won four of its last five for its best start since 2006 and UCLA has captured three in a row.

TV: 10:45 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: UCLA -9.5

ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE (6-3, 4-2 Pac-12): The Cougars' pass-heavy offense continues to lead the Pac-12 with 417.3 passing yards per game, the second-highest average in the FBS. Falk, just a sophomore, already has as many touchdown passes (46) as Drew Bledsoe had in his Washington State career and is halfway to the school's career mark of 90, set by Connor Halliday last season. UCLA is getting better at pressuring the passer, as nine of its 18 sacks this season have come in the last three games, and will have the opportunity to add to that total as Falk has completed 72 more passes than anyone else in the nation this year.

ABOUT UCLA (7-2, 4-2): The biggest sign the Bruins are gaining momentum is their near-flawless 41-0 win at Oregon State last weekend, when they churned out 676 yards of total offense and posted their first shutout on the road since 1987. Freshman quarterback Josh Rosen has thrown six touchdown passes with no interceptions during the three-game winning streak, completing 66.4 percent of his throws, while Paul Perkins has kept the ground game alive with 280 rushing yards in the same span, averaging 6.1 per carry. Deon Hollins, who led UCLA with nine sacks last season, has been slowed by a knee injury, but fellow linebacker Aaron Wallace has helped pick up the slack with five sacks while defensive end Takkarist McKinley has recorded 3 1/2.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Washington State leads the country in fourth-down conversions (21) and is second in attempts (29).

2. Falk is on pace for 509 completed passes, three short of the NCAA record.

3. UCLA C Jake Brendel is set to make the 49th start of his career, which would break the school record set by LB Spencer Havner from 2002-05.

PREDICTION: UCLA 45, Washington State 42