UCLA vs. Fresno State Week 3: Storylines to Watch
No. 13 UCLA football (2-0) is scheduled to kick off its Week 3 game against Fresno State (2-1) on Saturday at 7:45 p.m.
While it may not be a primetime game in the Philippines like coach Chip Kelly has suggested on multiple occasions, the late night kickoff brings a lot of interesting elements to the table for the matchup. The same can be said for the Bruins' high ranking and the Bulldogs' track record so far this young season.
Heading into the Week 3 matchup, here are the most pressing questions we want to have answered by the final whistle.
Can the Bruin faithful repeat big turnout?
When it comes to football attendance, UCLA is never going to be Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Clemson or Alabama.
Even playing in the Rose Bowl, which boasts a large capacity and storied history, the Bruins have had an up-and-down attendance track record in recent years. The fact of the matter is that UCLA just can't sell itself like other programs can – if the team isn't good, the moment isn't right or the department doesn't put enough of an effort into it, people won't show up.
Well the Bruins are good, and UCLA Athletics is pushing hard with flash sales, giveaways and contests yet again to try and replicate the near-70,000 person crowd from the LSU game in Week 1. Without Tiger fans there, that figure will drop significantly in Week 3 against Fresno State, although the Bulldog fanbase should have pretty good numbers in Pasadena.
The real question is how many UCLA fans will show up – will the game time and Group of Five opponent lead to another game in the mid-30,000s, or can the Bruins capitalize on their momentum and get 50,000 people out to the Rose Bowl? It probably will end up somewhere in between, so it will be interesting to see which way the numbers lean.
Is Thompson-Robinson ready to step up?
It isn't as if the Bruins have won despite quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson at this point, but he hasn't exactly been the driving force behind their two wins.
Thompson-Robinson had a sub-par first performance versus Hawaii, which he himself pointed out on Twitter after the game. While he posted an insane 242.1 passer rating against LSU, the senior quarterback only threw the ball 16 times. He was good, just not the focal point of the offense.
Teams are going to play UCLA knowing they're going to run the ball, which means succeeding out of the play action and on scrambles is going to be key for Thompson-Robinson moving forward. Eventually, the Bruins are going to need him to throw the ball 35 times to win a game, and it's better he gets that kind of experience under his belt early in the season to prepare him for later.
Airing it out will probably never be the No. 1 option for Kelly and his staff, but that may be the plan against a pretty stout Fresno State run defense. Thompson-Robinson might have to show out for real and show how he can work as a volume passer in this revamped offense.
Has the pass defense been revitalized?
Defensive coordinator Jerry Azzinaro has been at the helm for the two worst pass defenses in UCLA history, in terms of yards allowed per game.
Even with the Bruins sitting at 2-0, his unit is on track to finish in that realm again in 2021, but those numbers may not be telling the whole story.
Yes, UCLA is allowed 285.0 passing yards per game, which ranks 115th in the country. Not great, obviously. However, the 5.8 yards per pass attempt they're giving up is No. 38 in the FBS and Hawaii and LSU combined to complete 54.5% of their passes.
In terms of gross stats, UCLA has hardly improved upon its putrid 2019 and 2020 pass defenses, but efficiency-wise, they've taken major strides.
That will be put to the test against Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener, who is averaging over 300 yards per game as part of a pro-style, spread offense that likes to air it out early and often.
Haener isn't as physically gifted as LSU quarterback Max Johnson, but he is probably the most talented passer UCLA has faced so far this year. Safeties Quentin Lake and Stephan Blaylock – as well as cornerbacks Mo Osling III, Cam Johnson and Jay Shaw – have performed well to this point, and now it's time to see how they hold up against a high-octane pass attack.
How will the Bruins handle pressure?
The Bruins have never played a game as a ranked team under Kelly.
Not only is UCLA ranked heading into Saturday, it's the No. 13 team in the country, still undefeated, with people picking them to win the division, conference or even the Rose Bowl. The fanbase and local media have essentially been shot out of a cannon, taking full advantage of the Bruins' best start in years, and now it's time to see how it affects the players on the field.
A loss to Fresno State, as good as the Bulldogs have proven to be so far this year, could rob UCLA of all of that in one fell swoop. A loss could really let the air out and dampen the Bruins' buzz around the country, even if it won't technically impact them in the standings.
And as an undefeated team, a perfect season is on the line every week.
The stakes aren't quite as high on an individual game basis as they were against Hawaii and LSU, but all eyes are on UCLA now. Everyone will see the outcome of this game and make snap judgements about both them and the Pac-12, so in order to keep their reputation above water heading into conference play, a win is necessary.
There haven't been many must-win games for the Bruins under Kelly, so it's time to see how he handles them as a heavy favorite.
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