Just one? How about 10?...

1. UCLA is 12-1 at home the past 2 seasons
2. BYU is 1-6 vs. Bruins all-time
3. UCLA's defense
4. Ben Olson
5. 110,000 screaming UCLA fans
6. UCLA's quickness
7. UCLA's athleticism
8. BYU is on the road against a quality, non-conference foe
9. Hall's inexperience in an intimidating environment
10. Scoreboard

1) 10 returning starters (plus two other former starters) from what was one of the top-ranked defenses in the country last year.

2) 10 returning starters on offense.

3) Top notch quarterback throwing to a host of very tall, very fast recievers.

4) A returning 1,100+ yard rusher plus two back-up running backs who both averaged over 10 yards per carry last week.

5) An extremely quick defensive front four with a knack for getting to the QB including a returning all-American defensive end with 12.5 sacks last season.

6) A veteran defensive backfield with a Playboy pre-season all-American safety.

7) Depth at defensive line, running back, receivers, defensive backfield.

8) Superior quickness.

9) Senior-dominated team. A lot of guys with something to prove.

10) Better talent. Better team.

There are a multitude of reasons these Bruins are ranked as highly as they are. This is a very good team. But, obviously, none of you folks here seem to think so...None of you can think of a single reason the Bruins will win? Arrogance or ignorance?

I, for one, am not looking past BYU. You've got a pretty good team...and they'll win a lot of games this year--just not likely they'll win this one. I could think of reasons they might...I just don't think it's likely. But, don't worry, by the end of the season, it certainly won't be looked upon as a bad loss for you guys--losing to a highly ranked out-of-conference team on the road...

But, most of the "reasons" I've read on this board for why you think the Cougars will win are nothing more than wishful thinking on your part...

The Bruins will score...
The Bruins will keep the Cougars from scoring...
Pretty much that's how football games are won...

Airwolf84 wrote:

Just one? How about 10?...

1. UCLA is 12-1 at home the past 2 seasons
2. BYU is 1-6 vs. Bruins all-time
3. UCLA's defense
4. Ben Olson
5. 110,000 screaming UCLA fans
6. UCLA's quickness
7. UCLA's athleticism
8. BYU is on the road against a quality, non-conference foe
9. Hall's inexperience in an intimidating environment
10. Scoreboard

Airwolf, I read your post about Locke and your defensiveness eminated as you reacted to some posters telling you to leave. You leave little room for tolerance when you continually "mingle" actual stats with fiction. Go to rosebowlstadium.com and tell me how many people the stadium holds. Try 92,542. Now I am sure they could squeeze a few more in, maybe even a few thousand but 17,000+? I don't think so. And all of them are going to be UCLA fans? Yeah, right, against one of the best traveling teams in the NATION! I know for a fact that tickets have been distributed to wards and stakes all over SoCal for Youth groups to go and most will be screaming for BYU. I read here that the Students aren't even in school at UCLA yet to we'll probably see somewhere around 60,000 fans in the stadium if we're lucky and probably at least 10,000 will be screaming for the COUGARS! As to your other "reasons" I see # 1 and #8 being the only two with even the remotest sense of legitimacy. I think this will be close. I think BYU is better coached and therefore #8 slides down the list in terms of good argument. That leaves #1, which if it is even true (coming from you) and not distorted, is the only reason I would even give UCLA a chance. Otherwise BYU walks out with a 10-17 point win. As it stands I will say BYU wins 21-17.

Go Cougs!!!

Airwolf84 wrote:

Just one? How about 10?...

1. UCLA is 12-1 at home the past 2 seasons
2. BYU is 1-6 vs. Bruins all-time
3. UCLA's defense
4. Ben Olson
5. 110,000 screaming UCLA fans
6. UCLA's quickness
7. UCLA's athleticism
8. BYU is on the road against a quality, non-conference foe
9. Hall's inexperience in an intimidating environment
10. Scoreboard

Airwolf, I read your post about Locke and your defensiveness eminated as you reacted to some posters telling you to leave. You leave little room for tolerance when you continually "mingle" actual stats with fiction. Go to rosebowlstadium.com and tell me how many people the stadium holds. Try 92,542. Now I am sure they could squeeze a few more in, maybe even a few thousand but 17,000+? I don't think so. And all of them are going to be UCLA fans? Yeah, right, against one of the best traveling teams in the NATION! I know for a fact that tickets have been distributed to wards and stakes all over SoCal for Youth groups to go and most will be screaming for BYU. I read here that the Students aren't even in school at UCLA yet to we'll probably see somewhere around 60,000 fans in the stadium if we're lucky and probably at least 10,000 will be screaming for the COUGARS! As to your other "reasons" I see # 1 and #8 being the only two with even the remotest sense of legitimacy. I think this will be close. I think BYU is better coached and therefore #8 slides down the list in terms of good argument. That leaves #1, which if it is even true (coming from you) and not distorted, is the only reason I would even give UCLA a chance. Otherwise BYU walks out with a 10-17 point win. As it stands I will say BYU wins 21-17.

Go Cougs!!!

Airwolf84 wrote:

Just one? How about 10?...

1. UCLA is 12-1 at home the past 2 seasons
2. BYU is 1-6 vs. Bruins all-time
3. UCLA's defense
4. Ben Olson
5. 110,000 screaming UCLA fans
6. UCLA's quickness
7. UCLA's athleticism
8. BYU is on the road against a quality, non-conference foe
9. Hall's inexperience in an intimidating environment
10. Scoreboard

I just want to touch on #9: As a quarterback walking into the heritage and history of LES (not to mention 2 great qb's are getting their #'s retired)had to be the most intimidating thing Max will ever see in his college career.

BYU 24 UCLA 17

I'm actually at a tipping point for in believing BYU WILL (not just can) win on Saturday. No list of one or 10 nonsense reasons, in my opinion can really adequately refute these facts:

Harvey Unga: 6-2, 220.

UCLA's Outside Linebackers: 6-0, 215; 6-1, 222.

Harvey is about the same size as these guys, but anyone who watched him run last week will know that 1 on 1, he's going to be tough to bring down. If our O-line gets him past the first two yards, its up to the linebackers.

Now my opinion is that this kind of matchup favors Harvey in a big way. Harvey will make yards around the end, pressure will come off Max as UCLA must respect the run, therefore BYU offense will move the ball.

If this happens, BYU will win.

Because the ONE thing I can guarantee is that Ben will struggle against our defense.