Can Chip Kelly lead UCLA to win over Utah, spoil Utes’ playoff hopes? Definitely maybe

UCLA is on a three-game winning streak and is fresh off of a bye week. Can the Bruins upset Utah and crush the Utes’ playoff hopes?

For a team that started the season with a three-game losing streak, things have certainly turned around for the UCLA Bruins. Chip Kelly‘s team has won its last three games, all by double digits, and still have a chance to win the Pac-12 South.

In their last three games, the Bruins have beaten the Stanford Cardinal by 18 points while on the road, managed to outscore Arizona State in a shootout, and then took down Colorado by 17 points. And then UCLA slid right into a bye week, getting some much-needed rest before taking on the Utah Utes who hope to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Meanwhile, the Bruins can spoil their season while picking up what would be the latest biggest win of the Kelly era at UCLA.

Does UCLA have enough firepower to win this game?

The UCLA Bruins will need all the offense they can get as they hit the road to take on the Utes. Utah’s defense is remarkably stout, one of the best in the Pac-12, holding opponents to 246.6 yards per game.

To make things more difficult for UCLA here, on top of needing to find ways to score on a tough Utah defense, the Bruins will likely have to overcome their own defense. UCLA gives up a painful 431.6 yards per game to opposing offenses. While Utah doesn’t have a headline catching offense, it very quietly scores 33.1 points per game and gains 446.4 yards per game.

Given the struggles UCLA has had defensively, this team will need to score on every possible opportunity for it to have a solid chance at winning.

But, the Bruins do have one of the most innovative head coaches in all of college football in Chip Kelly. So far, the Bruins are scoring a fairly respectable 29.3 points per game and are averaging 406.4 yards of offense per game. UCLA’s average sort of performance may not be enough to overcome defensive deficiencies and bring down Utah, however. The Bruins will need their best sort of showing possible to beat the Utes.

Can UCLA come out on top on the road?

The Bruins will be challenged by Utah. They are playoff-hopeful for a good reason, but they can be upset as they were against Kedon Slovie and USC in September. Pulling off the upset on the road will make the upset potential but they have confidence on their side after this three-game win streak.

While the Bruins are on their way back to relevancy and have rattled off three consecutive wins, it seems unlikely UCLA can claim victory here. But if I’m wrong, Kelly’s work rebuilding UCLA will suddenly get plenty of attention should the Bruins bring down the Utes Saturday evening.

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