A week ago, this game had the feel of one with serious BCS implications. Both teams were likely to come in with perfect records and top-10 rankings, and with both schools having their eyes set on the Pac-12 title and the Rose Bowl, the stakes would be huge.
How to watch UCLA vs. Stanford 2013: Preview, TV schedule, odds and more
Two Pac-12 powerhouses square off in Palo Alto.
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sport
Stanford, perhaps looking ahead to UCLA a bit, went on the road and lost to Utah last weekend. They fell from No. 5 to No. 13 in the polls. While its season certainly isn’t over, another loss this week would be a real heartbreaker.
As for the Bruins, they’ve rolled over just about every team they’ve faced this season. They look to be the favorites in the Pac-12 South and a road win would make the entire country take notice of what they’re doing in SoCal.
The numbers
Rankings and records: UCLA moved up to 9th in the AP Poll after blowing out California last weekend. As we touched on before, the Cardinal are still in striking distance, now ranked 13th.
These two schools played twice on back-to-back weeks last year. Stanford won both, including the conference championship game, 27-24. UCLA has not beaten the Cardinal since 2008.
Vegas: Stanford opened as a six-point favorite, though the line has dropped a bit. The over/under for points is 55.
Weather: There will be sunny skies in the Bay Area with temperatures in the 70s at kickoff.
Three names to know
Brett Hundley - Hundley has a big arm and is smart with the football, throwing for 1,469 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. He's also rushed for 260 yards and three scores. Some view him as the top quarterback in next year's NFL Draft.
Jordon James - James doesn't get a ton of publicity, but he leads the Bruins with 463 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Kevin Hogan - Stanford’s quarterback continues to play well for David Shaw despite a pretty poor showing last weekend. On the year he’s thrown for 1,183 yards, 12 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
Two things at stake
A win would be huge for both teams. As obvious as that may be, consider what’s at stake.
A win for Stanford keeps it within a game of Oregon in the North. If they’re able to beat the Ducks, they’ll have a chance to go to the Rose Bowl once again.
For UCLA, a road win over the Cardinal would cement the Bruins as one of the top five or six teams in the nation. With two huge road wins over Stanford and Nebraska, their resume would be as impressive as anyone’s. It could also make Hundley a bit of a darkhorse candidate for the Heisman.
How to witness
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC or ESPN2 (Sean McDonough, Chris Spielman, Shannon Spake)
Radio: Fans across Southern California can find their channel here. Those in the Bay Area can tune in here.
Stream: ESPN3
Further reading
For more on this game, check out Bruins Nation, Rule of Tree and Pacific Takes.
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