UCLA @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 3, 2012 ) Arizona 10, UCLA 66

UCLA will try to duplicate its effort against host Arizona and star running back Ka’Deem Carey when the No. 18 Bruins ready themselves for a Pac-12 game Saturday night. UCLA held Carey to a season-low 54 rushing yards in last season’s 66-10 victory, lifting the Bruins into the Top 25 with four regular-season contests remaining. That also marked the last time Carey has been held to double digits in rushing.

UCLA is hoping to get a repeat performance from quarterback Brett Hundley, who bounced back from two sub-par road games against No. 6 Stanford and No. 2 Oregon to throw for 273 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s 45-23 victory against visiting Colorado. Hundley will have added incentive to play well in his first game in Tucson as his father, Brett Sr., played running back for the Wildcats in 1986. The Bruins are also expected to have leading rusher Jordon James at full strength after he missed three games with an ankle injury and was limited to six carries for eight yards against Colorado.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: UCLA -1.

ABOUT UCLA (6-2, 3-2 Pac-12): The Bruins are also expected to have linebacker Eric Kendricks in the starting lineup against Arizona. Kendricks, who is fifth in the Pac-12 at eight tackles a game, did not play versus Colorado due to a shoulder injury. The Bruins enter the game sixth in the conference in total defense, one spot behind the Wildcats.

ABOUT ARIZONA (6-2, 3-2): Carey’s success on the ground has overshadowed Arizona’s passing game this season. B.J. Denker is the second-lowest rated quarterback in the Pac-12, although he has posted seven touchdown passes and one interception in the last four games. The Wildcats don’t have a receiver with more than 21 catches. Denker has scored 11 rushing touchdowns this season, two more than any previous Arizona quarterback.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Carey is averaging 26.9 carries a game, well on his way to breaking the school record of 24.4 (Ontiwaun Carter, 1994).

2. Carey needs 76 rushing yards to move past Carter (3,501) for second on the school’s all-time list. Trung Canidate tops the list at 3,824.

3. The Bruins have won seven straight games against the Pac-12 South Division.

PREDICTION: UCLA 41, Arizona 38.