UCLA @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 19, 2011 ) Colorado 6, UCLA 45

UCLA and Colorado, both coming off surprising results, meet Saturday in what is expected to be a high-scoring game. With light wind and the temperature expected to be in the low 70s at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo., the defenses - especially Colorado's - will be under added pressure. The Bruins were knocked out of the Top 25 with their first loss of the season - 27-20 at home to Oregon State - while Colorado erased a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter to stun host Washington State 35-34 for its first victory. The Buffaloes will try to avenge last season's 45-6 loss to the Bruins at the Rose Bowl, but don't appear to have the manpower - at least on offense - to keep up with UCLA.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: UCLA - 20.5

ABOUT UCLA (3-1, 0-1 Pac-12 South): The Bruins are third in the nation in total offense at 577.5 yards per game and feature a balanced attack (13th, 326.0 passing; 14th, 251.5 rushing). Senior running back Johnathan Franklin is third in the nation with 586 yards rushing, but was held to 45 yards on 12 carries last week. Freshman quarterback Brett Hundley is 17th in the nation with 299.8 yards per game with nine touchdowns and three interceptions and is completing 66.2 percent of his passes. Defensively, there is room for improvement. The Bruins allowed 501 yards to the Beavers, including 379 passing, and are 85th at 421.5 yards allowed per game and 89th against the pass (247.8).

ABOUT COLORADO (1-3, 1-0 Pac-12 South): Quarterback Jordan Webb threw a 70-yard touchdown pass and tailback Tony Jones added an 84-yard TD run during the fourth quarter against Washington State. The big plays on offense were nice, but Colorado must improve on defense. It is 114th among the 120 FBS teams at 38.8 points allowed per game, 114th in passing yards allowed (317.0) and 102nd in total defense (472.5). Senior free safety Ray Polk, the leader of the secondary, remains out with a high ankle sprain. Offensively, the Buffaloes aren't much better, at least statistically. They are 96th with 351.3 yards per game and 89th in rushing (128.0). Jones has 66 yards on his other 21 carries.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Hundley has three 300-yard passing games this season. The school record is six, set by Cade McNown in 1998. The career record is 11 (McNown).

2. Colorado freshman WR Nelson Spruce is averaging 11.1 yards on his team-leading 21 catches, with two touchdowns.

3. UCLA leads the series 5-2, with the six meetings prior to last year played between 1980-2003.

PREDICTION: UCLA 48, Colorado 28