BYU Cougar Fans to Face New Rivals As UCLA Bruins Roll into Town

Saturday marks the third meeting between BYU and UCLA in less than a year, and once again the stakes are extremely high, as 18th-ranked BYU is looking to take another step toward a possible BCS birth. UCLA, which is just outside the top 25, is looking for a second straight victory against a top-25 opponent.

In their first meeting last year, BYU dominated the game offensively but was unable to finish drives and seemed to make untimely turnovers just when it seemed they would be able to break the game wide open.

UCLA played excellent defense and pressured quarterback Max Hall from the outside all game long. Their offense was by no means even close to what BYU's was, but they were able to put enough points on the scoreboard to beat the Cougars in Pasadena, 27-17.

The two teams met again in the 2007 Las Vegas Bowl. BYU was riding a nine-game winning streak and a dramatic win versus hated rival Utah. The Cougars once again seemed to dominate the game offensively, and early in the game it looked as if it could turn into a blowout victory. But, once again, the turnover bug bit BYU, as Harvey Unga fumbled in his own red zone, with just 19 seconds left in the first half. UCLA recovered and was able to put the ball in the end zone with no time left.

UCLA rode the big swing in momentum through the entire second half, shutting out the Cougars. The Bruins offense by no means was impressive, but, once again, made enough plays to put the team in a position to win.

With just three seconds left, in a finish very similar to last week's BYU win over Washington, UCLA lined up for what seemed like the winning 28-yard field goal. But BYU's Eathyn Manumaleuna was able to get just enough of the ball to leave it short of the goal posts and the Cougars escaped with a 17-16 win.

As the BYU faithful rushed the field to celebrate a second straight Las Vegas Bowl victory, UCLA players were left in shock and some even in tears.

With new head football coach Rick Neuheisel bringing a breath of fresh air to the Bruins, UCLA will most certainly be out for blood to avenge the last second lose in the desert last December. UCLA has a lot of momentum as the Bruins were able to pull of an upset over then-No. 18 Tennessee in a dramatic overtime win two weeks ago, with a bye last week.

This week, look for the Bruins to use their extremely fast defense to put a lot of pressure on Hall, much like they did one year ago in Pasadena. On the offensive side, the Bruins have a ton of speed at the receiver position. If Kevin Craft can get them the ball the way he did in the fourth quarter of Week One, BYU's less-than-average secondary will have fits stopping the talented wideouts.

No doubt UCLA offensive coordinator Norm Chow, who was an assistant at BYU from 1973-1999, will look to attack the obvious weak point in BYU's defense.

The Cougars have one of the best offenses in the country. Hall is completing 78 percent of his passes and has thrown for 824 yards and five touchdowns in only two games. He will be throwing to the nation's leading receiver, who happens to be a tight end. Dennis Pitta has caught 21 passes for 361 yards and one touchdown.

BYU can also run the ball very well, as running back Harvey Unga is averaging just shy of five yards per carry and has 200 yards along with two touchdowns this year.

What worries me is BYU's defense. The D-line and linebackers are as solid as you'll find in the country. But that secondary is vulnerable, as we saw last week at Washington. And the Cougars have the most predicable 3rd-and-long defense I've ever seen. It's a soft-cover three-zone that gets killed by any team with an above-average passing attack.

It drives me crazy, because they have done it as long as I can remember and it never works! All the receivers have to do is run past the first down, find the hole in the zone, and turn around. Pretty simple if you ask me. 

"They say the definition of madness is doing the same thing and expecting a different result." That is from "Try it Again," a song by the band The Hives. Maybe one day BYU will recognize this error, but, according to history, it's unlikely. 

This game has all the ingredients needed for a rivalry. Close finishes, bad blood (see Ben Olsen), plenty of motivation, and conference pride as BYU represents the Mountain West and UCLA the Pac-10.

The advantage I feel is still in BYU's favor. The Cougars have won 14 straight at Lavell Edwards Stadium since loosing to Boston College in 2005. The house for sure is gonna be rockin' in Provo on Saturday as BYU looks to increase the nation's longest winning streak to 12 games.