UCLA, facing Stanford, can erase the sting of their last seven meetings

UCLA Bruins at Stanford Cardinal (-6.5, 54)No. 18 UCLA used its bye week to prepare for Thursday’s road game against 16th-ranked Stanford, but the extra time couldn’t help the Bruins’ injury situation. Mora was mostly pleased with how the run defense performed against the Sun Devils, but said they buckled late. It would behoove the Cardinal to try to put pressure on UCLA true freshman quarterback Josh Rosen, who has thrown for 1,243 yards and nine touchdowns.

Looking for a breakout: Even though Christian McCaffrey had kickoff returns of 67 and 31 yards in Stanford’s last game, he hasn’t broken one for a touchdown.

The Bruins’ run defense has become a sore spot lately. Part of the problem there is that defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes and LB Myles Jack are out for the season because of injuries. They have a strong core, a stacked defense and a surprisingly balanced offense. One shouldn’t expect anything different in 2015, meaning that if Utah unexpectedly loses and UCLA is in position to steal the South, one should not expect USC to play spoiler. Martinez has led Stanford in tackles in all five games this season. Behind G Joshua Garnett, C Graham Shuler and T Kyle Murphy, Stanford has rushed for more than 300 yards in back-to-back games. The success of Taylor in particular illustrates the skill set of the Stanford O-line, considering UCLA had a great defensive line to counter that during Taylor’s time and yet still could not contain their running attack.

Wirth came up with another big stop within the first minute of the second half to keep the deficit at a single goal, but Stanford would score on a penalty kick in the 53rd minute to double the edge. He also rushed for 46 yards on seven carries. In his inaugural season, Mora almost guided the Bruins to an upset in 2012’s Pac-12 title game, but UCLA gave up 10 points in the fourth quarter and fell, 27-24. For whatever reason, Shaw has had his number. The Cardinal, which has four of its final six league games at home, would take control of the North, at least temporarily, with a victory…. After being blown out by UCLA and Stanford, the Wildcats turned things around last weekend when they blew out Oregon State 44-7.

UCLA’s last win against the Cardinal was in 2008, when Rosen was in the sixth grade. The Bruins might have stubbed their toes against Arizona State, but they have feasted on USC in this period of instability for the Trojans.

Cal coach Lindsay Gottlieb also is volunteering to be the first conference team to play in China.

Kansas State will open the 2016 football season with a Friday game at Stanford, the Wildcats announced Wednesday. Or, is the seven-game losing streak a bit of a disservice? Is it too much of a mental hurdle to clear? Coincidentally, the last time UCLA beat Stanford was in the 2007 season opener when Harbaugh was coaching his first game with the Cardinal.

Turner Thorne marveled at Normen’s perseverance after she tore her ACL during her senior season with the Coyotes and then tore her quad in her very first collegiate game in 2011, forcing Normen to take a redshirt season.

Senior quarterback Kevin Hogan and his experienced offense should win out over UCLA’s defense as well.