Stanford @ UCLA preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 19, 2013 ) UCLA 10, Stanford 24

Tenth-ranked UCLA controls its destiny in the chase for the Pac-12 South crown and will play in the title game if it defeats visiting Stanford on Friday. The Bruins have won five consecutive games and have a lot of momentum entering the match with the Cardinal, who have frustrated UCLA’s offense in recent seasons. “They are good tacklers and disciplined,” Bruins coach Jim Mora told reporters. “We’re going to have to be very precise in everything that we do in order to get yards against them.”

Stanford won’t have standout receiver and returner Ty Montgomery (team-high 61 receptions) after he departed last week’s victory over California with a shoulder injury. “Ty will be out of this game,” Cardinal coach David Shaw told reporters. “He will not play this game and hopefully we’ll get him ready for the bowl game, which looks like a distinct possibility.” Stanford has been out of the Pac-12 title game chase and is in the midst of its fewest victories since 2008.

TV: 3:30 ET, ABC. LINE: UCLA -5

ABOUT STANFORD (6-5, 4-4 Pac-12): Running back Remound Wright has six touchdowns on the season but four of them came against California last week when he tied the school mark shared by Darrin Nelson (1981), Tommy Vardell (1990), Kerry Carter (2000, 2001), Toby Gerhart (2008, 2009) and Stepfan Taylor (2010). Quarterback Kevin Hogan has thrown 15 touchdown passes against eight interceptions and will spread the ball around with Montgomery sidelined. The defense ranks sixth in total defense (289.7 yards per game) and seventh in scoring defense (16.5) in the nation with inside linebacker Blake Martinez (team-best 92 tackles, three interceptions) and defensive end Henry Anderson (team-high six sacks) leading the way.

ABOUT UCLA (9-2, 6-2): Quarterback Brett Hundley, who has thrown for 20 touchdowns against five interceptions, plans to skip his senior season and head to the NFL. “The conversation keeps coming up,” Hundley said on a radio show. “I’ve got my degree. I’ve done everything I wanted to do here. I’ve left something really, truly great, and I feel good.” Running back Paul Perkins has a team-best 1,265 yards, while inside linebacker Eric Kendricks (team-best 128 tackles, three interceptions) and outside linebacker Myles Jack (70 tackles) lead the defense.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Stanford has won the last six meetings, including a 24-10 victory last season.

2. Kendricks needs nine tackles to break the school mark held by Jerry Robinson (1975-78).

3. Cardinal WR Devon Cajuste had seven receptions for 109 yards against the Bruins in last year’s game.

PREDICTION: UCLA 20, Stanford 17