Utah @ UCLA preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 3, 2013 ) UCLA 34, Utah 27

UCLA will try to avoid looking ahead to next week's showdown when the No. 9 Bruins host Utah in a Pac-12 game Saturday night. UCLA is scheduled to clash with No. 4 Oregon a week later on the same Rose Bowl field, a game that could go a long way toward qualifying the winner for this season's inaugural four-team College Football Playoff. But before the Bruins can envision that, they'll have a viable test against the Utes, who won at Michigan on Sept. 27 but couldn't hold a late lead last week against visiting Washington State and lost 28-27.

The Bruins have been dominant for most of this season behind quarterback Brett Hundley, who has matured immensely as a passer, hitting on 72.1 percent of his attempts while logging 1,041 yards and seven touchdowns with one interception. Utah has a very efficient quarterback as well in Travis Wilson, who owns seven touchdown passes and no interceptions on 96 attempts this season. Utah's top receiver, Dres Anderson, whose father Flipper played for the Bruins from 1984-87, was held without a catch against Washington State, so look for Wilson to peek his way early and often.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: UCLA -13

ABOUT UTAH (3-1, 0-1 Pac-12): Look for the Utes to ride running back Devontae Booker and do their best to keep the ball out of Hundley's hands. They did that for most of the game last week before getting away from Booker late, yet he still finished with 178 rushing yards on 24 carries and scored a touchdown. The Bruins have been pretty stiff against the run this season, not allowing a 100-yard rusher through the first four games.

ABOUT UCLA (4-0, 1-0): Hundley lit up the Utes while scoring a touchdown passing, running and receiving last season as the Bruins beat Utah by seven points for the second straight year. Hundley ran less than usual last week against Arizona State after suffering an injury to his non-throwing shoulder in the game prior, but still finished with 72 rushing yards on eight carries and scored a touchdown. Hundley is looking for Jordan Payton a lot more this season and the wide receiver is coming off his best game with the Bruins, catching five passes for 151 yards and two scores - the most yards by a UCLA receiver since 2009.

EXTRA POINTS

1. UCLA is trying to start 5-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1966-67.

2. The Bruins are seeking to win seven in a row for the first time since 2005.

3. Utah has outscored its opponents 55-10 in the first quarter.

PREDICTION: UCLA 37, Utah 13