Pac-12 roundup: UCLA stakes claim as best team in South

No team returned more starters in the Pac-12 than UCLA, and the collective experience has been most evident on the O-line.

UCLA, as was readily apparent in a 56-30 destruction of Arizona that wasn’t as close as the score indicated, didn’t seem fazed at all by the attention on the home team or the increase in doubters following a key injury to star linebacker Myles Jack.

UCLA Bruins at Arizona Wildcats (+3, 66)Arizona has struggled to get its offense rolling against UCLA in recent seasons, but the 16-ranked Wildcats will try to find holes in the No. 11 Bruins Saturday, when they host the Pac-12 opener for both teams.

“You’ll have adversity”, UCLA coach Jim Mora said.

These two teams are among the four within the Pac-12 that have yet to lose a game in 2015. The true freshman threw for 284 yards and two touchdowns on 19-of-28 passing and added a put-it-out-of-reach score on the ground.

One drive later, Perkins scored his third touchdown of the half when he plunged in from a yard out to make it 42-14.

Were it not for three quick turnovers, and the Bruins’ ability to capitalize on the takeaways, the rest of the contest may have gone very differently.

UCLA defensive coordinator Tom Bradley earned his paycheck. “I think that we’re much better equipped to handle that this year”.

In another barnburner, #18 Utah (3-0) will travel to Autzen Stadium to take on #13 Oregon (2-1).

The Wildcats had trouble stopping Rosen and the Bruins even with All-America linebacker Scooby Wright back, plagued by a slew of missed tackles.

Arizona – Nick Wilson ran 24 times for 136 yards. UCLA’s first half performance provided answers. Given the way that Georgia’s seasons have gone under Mark Richt, however, we won’t be surprised if Georgia Tech gets the win to spoil Georgia’s season. Look for things to go south quickly for him. As late as Friday evening, UCLA was given only a three-point spread over Arizona, so its dominant 56-30 win was a testament to the team’s depth. The Bruins have a good defense, but they’ve slumped at times, and they can’t afford to do that against a risky Arizona offense.

Quarterback Anu Solomon has completed 68.3% of his passes for 778 yards with 10 touchdowns and no interceptions.

Wilson, a former four-star prospect, was recruited by everybody and their grandmother in 2012 before signing with the Wildcats. Perkins scored on a 16-yard run the next play.

The Wildcats and Sun Devils lost by a combined 63 points on the same day in 1963, 57 in 2003. Josh Rosen fired a 35 yard TD to Thomas Duarte on the opening drive.

It didn’t help that Solomon left the game midway through the second period with an apparent head injury.

Cerda gave the Bruins a ninth-minute lead, finishing a Zoey Goralski through ball, and then it was up to Schechtman to hold down the Ducks (3-6-0).

The UCLA Bruins are led by a freshman quarterback Josh Rosen.

Fixing the defense, which allowed 353 yards rushing, will take some tinkering.

“Cayman’s been good about that, but tonight he had a couple issues”, Rich Rodriguez said after the game. But then Payton made an eye-popping, lunging catch of a 39-yard pass along the sidelines, and Rosen eventually bounced into the end zone to complete a dagger 75-yard touchdown drive. At the receiver spot, Southern California natives David Richards and Johnny Jackson each have three touchdown receptions.