UCLA vs. Stanford: Bruins Determine Their Pac-12 Championship Opponent

Would you rather UCLA play Stanford or Oregon in the Pac-12 title game?

I still think Oregon is the better team, but Stanford is a tougher match-up for the Bruins. UCLA had trouble against Oregon St. and Cal's pro-set offenses, although they did better against SC over the weekend. On the flip side, Autzen is a tougher place to win than the Farm. All that considered, I'd rather play Stanford, but not by much.

Break down this week's matchup with the Cardinal. What are the keys to victory for UCLA?

UCLA has to show that they can stop the run. Even against USC, the Bruins didn't do a great job against the run and if Lane Kiffin was smart, he would have kept the ball on the ground more. We know Stanford won't be afraid to pound the ball and give Stepfan Taylor 30 carries so it will be up to the Bruin defense to hold strong against the run AND not sell out so much to do it that they get burned on play action.

What's your prediction for UCLA vs Stanford and why?

This isn't a great match-up for UCLA and there is still worry that the Bruins might have a letdown after such an emotional win. If Josh Nunes was still under center for the Cardinal, I'd feel much better about this. Still, I think the Bruins hit Keith Hogan enough to get a couple turnovers and mitigate their struggles against the run for a 24-21 win.