UCLA Football: What Bruins Must Do in Bye Week to Prep for Showdown vs. USC

Jim Mora established himself as the king of Los Angeles' college football scene in his first two years as UCLA football head coach.

Mora and his team have an additional week of preparations for defense of that crown, coming off a four-game win streak with a bye ahead of the annual Crosstown Showdown with USC.  

The Bruins welcome—using the term loosely—the Trojans into the Rose Bowl Nov. 22 with both teams still in the hunt for the Pac-12 South's berth into the conference championship game. However, any hope either has for playing in Levi's Stadium on Dec. 5 disappears with a loss. 

With a potential championship backdrop, the heated rivalry takes on added significance. That extra week probably couldn't come at a better time for the Bruins. 

Keep on Building

After kicking off November with a 17-7 defeat of then-No. 12 Arizona, linebacker Deon Hollins said the win "is going to be huge for us."

Scoring a decisive victory against a quality opponent after struggling against Cal and Colorado, and losing to Utah and Oregon, was a building block for something more, according to Hollins.

That rang true Saturday at Washington, where the Bruins asserted their dominance early and cruised to a win that was more lopsided than the final, 44-30 score.  

In a season punctuated with sputtering wins, the Bruins are putting the pieces together at the right time. 

Let Hundley Run 

Whether the result of outside pressure of expectations, or the on-field pressure put on him by blitzing defenses, quarterback Brett Hundley looked indecisive at times early through the Bruins' slate. 

Hundley put together one of the best completion percentages in the nation, sure. And he continued to rush for big gains. But in recent weeks, he's done both with much greater confidence. 

Stephen Brashear/Associated Press

One reason is the overall improvement of his offensive line. The Bruins' front has made tremendous strides since allowing 10 sacks in a loss to Utah, most recently holding the nation's No. 2 overall sacking defense, Washington, to just one on Saturday. 

That's allowed Hundley to get passes out quicker. In addition, offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone is calling more designed runs for his quarterback, which has helped to pull back blitzes. 

USC has had its struggles containing mobile quarterbacks in recent years, including against UCLA. Last year, Hundley went off for 80 yards and two rushing touchdowns. 

Continuing to use Hundley's explosiveness as a ball-carrier in designed packages should be one of the primary points of emphasis for the UCLA offense heading into the USC matchup. 

Block out the Noise

An extra week without the distraction of another game lets in the potential distraction of hype for the rivalry. 

Talk about UCLA's newfound place as the leader of the Los Angeles football landscape has permeated ever since the Bruins' first of two straight wins in 2012. Said chatter will reach a crescendo in the days to come, particularly if USC beats Cal on Thursday. 

Mora has preached of blocking out potential distractions throughout this season, and there may be none bigger than the buildup to the Nov. 22 rivalry contest. 

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise cited. Statistics courtesy of CFBstats.com.