Nevada @ UCLA preview

Jim Mora turned UCLA's fate around in his first season at Westwood. The former NFL coach led the Bruins to victories in nine of their first 11 games to claim the Pac-12 South crown. Mora has even grander visions in 2013 as his No. 21 Bruins begin an unlikely quest at a national title when they host Nevada in the season opener for both teams on Saturday night.

Quarterback Brett Hundley, who set single-season records for total offense, yards passing and completions in his freshman season, guided the Bruins to a strong start before the team wilted down the stretch - losing its final three games. Nevada will be no easy task. The Mountain West foe has earned bowl berths in eight straight seasons.

TV: 10 p.m., Pac-12 Network; LINE: UCLA -19.5

ABOUT NEVADA (7-6, 4-4 Mountain West): First-year Nevada coach Brian Polian, the son of former NFL executive Bill Polian, begins a rugged slate of games at the Rose Bowl. The youthful Wolf Pack returns Mountain West second-team QB Cody Fajardo and his top target in Brandon Wimberly, but there are plenty of other holes to fill especially on offense. Polian is likely to give his first recruiting class plenty of playing time, a tough early task in a hostile environment.

ABOUT UCLA (9-5, 6-3 Pac-12): With Hundley leading the offense and superstar Anthony Barr returning at linebacker, the Bruins are the preseason favorites to repeat in the Pac-12 South. Mora believes his team will also be in the national title hunt but UCLA has to replace Johnathan Franklin at tailback and cut down on a slew of penalties which plagued it throughout last season. The Bruins also lost their entire secondary to graduation.

EXTRA POINTS

1. This is the first meeting between the two teams.

2. Since 2007, the Bruins have been favored by 16 or more points eight times - including 20 or more on three occasions. They have won all eight games but are 5-3 against the spread.

3. This is the third straight season that Nevada has opened the season at a Pac-12 school. The Wolf Pack lost at Oregon in 2011 and beat California last year.

PREDICTION: UCLA 35, Nevada 21