Pac-12 Championship Game: How the Bruins Can Compete with the Ducks

Needless to say, it’s going to take a miracle tonight for the UCLA Bruins to leave Autzen Stadium as Pac-12 Champs.

CBS Sports has already ruled them out. ESPN gives them next to no chance. And even UCLA’s own athletic director Dan Guerrero has essentially given in, appealing for a bowl game earlier this week despite not yet having the sub-.500 record.

A few people do believe though and that’s what matters. Rick Neuheisel, coaching in his last game for UCLA, does. The players do. Even some of us students do.

Yes, a win is far-fetched. Yes, UCLA is dogged by 31 points, but crazier things have happened, right?

It’s going to take a flawless game plan and then some extra luck.

Here’s how the Bruins could get it done:

1. Force Fumbles

The Oregon RB trio of LaMichael James, Kenjon Barner and De’Anthony Thomas is one of the most formidable backfields in the FBS—period.

While containing the run game is a must for UCLA tonight, it goes even a step further. The Bruins defense has to make plays, not just stop them, and be constantly on the look for opportunities to strip Oregon ball carriers and force fumbles.

Lucky for the Bruins, protecting the rock is one of the Oregon backfield’s few “weaknesses,” having coughed up the ball 21 times this season (1.75/game), seventh in the Pac-12. With the right mindset, it’s not out of the question to think UCLA can get three or four tonight.

Take primary ball carrier LaMichael James, for example.

Just six days ago, he exited Oregon’s matchup against in-state rival Oregon State with an injured left elbow. Already, James was playing with a brace on his right elbow, having dislocated it earlier this season.

I’d tell my defense to attack him endlessly.

2. Severely Dominate the Clock

One of the greatest benefits of having a quality run game is having the ability to successfully control the clock and keep the opponent off the field. However, playing an Oregon team that ranks third in FBS in scoring (45.9/game) and dead-last in time of possession (24:45/game), dominating the clock goes well-beyond simply winning the time of possession.

For the Bruins, dominating the clock means running the play clock down every play. It means converting third-down opportunities on offense and keeping them from earning a new set of downs on defense. It means keeping themselves out of 2nd-and-long or 3rd-and-long situations due to penalties and negative gains.

Last season, UCLA won the time of possession by over 17 minutes (38:31-21:29), and yet, lost 60-13 because they didn’t do these things. To dominate the clock means to limit Oregon’s possession.

Everyone knows that Oregon is going to score at will tonight, but by keeping them off the field, and not giving them extra opportunities, UCLA can keep it close.

3. Flawless Special Teams Play

From kickoffs to punts, UCLA’s special teams unit needs to perfect tonight.

It begins with coverage: Freshman kickoff returner De’Anthony Thomas has undeniable, gamebreaking ability, and a single mistake in coverage could be the difference between a long field for the offense and a kickoff return for a touchdown. He’s already got two this season.

The punting game may be even more important. Last week, UCLA punter Jeff Locke was terrific, pinning the USC Trojans inside their 20 on three of his five kicks. He has to do be even better tonight.

If there’s one chink in the armor of the Oregon offense, it has been the play of the QB when backed up within the 20. On the season, Ducks QBs have a combined 158.98 passer rating, 12th in the FBS, a tribute to solid completion percentage (60.7 percent) and elite TD:INT rate (33:5, fourth in FBS).

Backed up in their 20, however, Ducks QB have a weak 79.6 QBR and complete just 41.4 percent of their passes.

Special Teams coverage is critical.

4. Cope with Autzen

Autzen Stadium is known to be one of the loudest, toughest places to play in all of football.

The stadium consistently pushes sound levels of 120 db and has been considered by many to be the hardest stadium for opposing players to concentrate in.

Instantly, I have flashes of the Utah-UCLA game in which UCLA’s offensive line had six false-start penalties, five of them in the first half.

Autzen is going to be exponentially louder than anything the Bruins saw at Rice-Eccles early last month.

Going back to dominating the clock, UCLA can’t afford to put themselves in 1st-and-15 or 3rd-and-long situations like they did at Utah.

On the season, after committing a false start, the Bruins were able to convert for a first down just 37 percent (7-of-19) of the time.

5. Target Joseph Fauria

Lastly, UCLA TE Joseph Fauria is one of football’s biggest offensive mismatches at 6’8”, 252 pounds.

With just one Oregon defensive regular listed above 6’1” (that would be 6’3” LB Josh Kaddu), Fauria needs to be the Bruins’ No. 1 target, both in the red zone and over the middle.

Fauria, a transfer out of Notre Dame, has seen the bulk of his work come on third downs this season, when he has made 15 of his 30 catches. As arguably the team’s most sure-handed receiver, I would love to see Fauria break out this game, seeing targets earlier in the downs and often.