Oregon @ UCLA preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 26, 2013 ) UCLA 14, Oregon 42

Two teams looking to bounce back from their first defeats of the season square off when No. 11 Oregon faces No. 17 UCLA on Saturday at the Rose Bowl. Both Pac-12 squads were hoping to enter this showdown with unblemished records, but the Ducks lost to Arizona and the Bruins fell to Utah last week. Whichever team absorbs its second loss will be all but eliminated from the postseason four-team College Football Playoff.

Oregon hasn’t suffered back-to-back losses since 2007 and also has dominated UCLA by winning 10 of the past 12 meetings. One of the themes is the quarterback battle as Ducks’ signal caller Marcus Mariota (15 touchdowns, zero interceptions) leads the nation in passing efficiency (202.4), while Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley (nine touchdowns, two interceptions) ranks fifth at 181.4. Oregon averages 43.6 points but tallied just 24 in the loss to Arizona, while UCLA scores 36 points per game.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Oregon –2.5.

ABOUT OREGON (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12): Mariota has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 31 games – second behind Marshall’s Rakeem Cato (37) – and has completed 71.1 percent of his passes this season while totaling 1,411 yards. True freshman Royce Freeman is leading the rushing attack with 346 yards and five touchdowns, while redshirt freshman Devon Allen has 19 receptions for 377 yards and six touchdowns. The Ducks are allowing 23.2 points per game and feature three strong players in the secondary in cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (eight career interceptions), strong safety Reggie Daniels (team-high 35 tackles) and free safety Erick Dargan (team-best three interceptions).

ABOUT UCLA (4-1, 1-1): Hundley leads the country in completion percentage (72.8) and has passed for 1,310 yards. Paul Perkins (540 yards, three TDs) has emerged as the main running back and had 99 yards against Utah to fall just short of his third straight 100-yard outing, while receiver Jordan Payton is excelling with 31 receptions for 491 yards and three scores. The Bruins allow 25.8 points per game with a defense led by inside linebacker Eric Kendricks (team-best 58 tackles), outside linebacker Myles Jack (38 stops) and cornerback Ishmael Adams (two interceptions, both for TDs).

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Ducks rolled to a 42-14 win over the Bruins last season as Mariota passed for 230 yards and Hundley was held to 64.

2. Adams (27.5) has also returned a kickoff for a touchdown and is averaging 13.6 yards as a punt returner.

3. Hundley was sacked 10 times against Utah, while Oregon has allowed 12 sacks over the past two games.

PREDICTION: Oregon 41, UCLA 34