They played “The Sopranos” theme song at UCLA practice this week, a nod to the Bruins’ first game in New Jersey in the school’s 105 years of football.
If UCLA doesn’t beat reeling Rutgers in the land of the wiseguys, the Bruins can probably forget about it when it comes to being given a pass for their first Big Ten season.
Next up on the schedule are Nebraska (5-1), Iowa (4-2) and Washington (4-3), each probably a double-digit favorite against UCLA.
That makes the Bruins’ game against the Scarlet Knights on Saturday at SHI Stadium an even more essential part of their salvage operation. Part I didn’t go so well last weekend, UCLA failing to pick up a late first down or make a final defensive stop during a 21-17 loss to Minnesota at the Rose Bowl that represented a fifth consecutive defeat.
But injury-ravaged Rutgers (4-2 overall, 1-2 Big Ten) provides another opportunity for UCLA (1-5, 0-4) to notch its first victory since a season-opening triumph over Hawaii. The Scarlet Knights have lost two consecutive games, scoring a combined 14 points during losses to Nebraska and Wisconsin, and could be missing several top players.
Here are five things to watch during a game starting at 9 a.m. PDT on FS1:
