Two teams heading in opposite directions collide Saturday night, as the Arizona State Sun Devils face the No. 7 UCLA Bruins in the Rose Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET, with television coverage on FOX.
How to watch Arizona State vs. UCLA on TV or online, plus 3 things to know
The skyrocketing Bruins host the slumping Sun Devils Saturday night in yet another Pac-12 South primetime duel.
UCLA has passed its first four tests of the season, none more emphatically than its 26-point primetime beatdown of Arizona last week. The Bruins, who had lost all-conference linebacker Myles Jack before the game in Tucson, showed no signs of weakness without him. An offense averaging 36 points per game is keeping the pressure off that defense.
Arizona State started the season with expectations equal to, if not greater than, UCLA, but a season-opening loss to Texas A&M and sluggish performance against Cal Poly were prelude to a home-field throttling from USC last weekend. Now just 2-2, and with four games left against opponents currently ranked in one of the major polls, the Sun Devils have to focus on mere bowl eligibility.
How to watch, stream and listen
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FOX
Radio: UCLA and Arizona State affiliates
Online streaming: Fox Sports GO
Spread: UCLA favored by 13.5 points
Make friends: Get to SB Nation’s team blog chats for this game at House of Sparky (for Arizona State fans) and Bruins Nation (for UCLA fans).
Three big things to know
1. Rename it the Rosen Bowl. UCLA freshman quarterback Josh Rosen might be that rarest of things: A highly touted high school quarterback who exceeds expectations. Through four games, Rosen has completed 62 percent of his pass attempts, averaged more than 240 yards per game passing and completed seven touchdowns against just four interceptions. Quarterback was the big question mark for UCLA entering the 2015 season. That question has been answered.
2. A running game helps. Lost in all the talk of Rosen is the UCLA running game, specifically halfback Paul Perkins. The junior running back, returning after a 1,575-yard sophomore season, already has 514 yards and six touchdowns. In Rosen's worst game -- an 11-of-23, 106-yard, three-interception stinkbomb against BYU -- Perkins rolled up 219 yards (with backup Nate Starks adding 81 more) to will the Bruins to victory.
3. The D-word makes its first appearance. This week, Arizona State coach and eternal optimist Todd Graham admitted that the team has failed to meet early expectations, and that fans have the right to be disappointed:
“I expect our fans to be disappointed,” Graham said. “I’m disappointed. I was disappointed last year when we lost 62-27 the fourth game of the season [against UCLA]. We’ve driven expectations up for a reason. Those standards are hard. We know that where we’re at has everything to do with us, both players and coaches. But we have to go out there and win.”
A win at UCLA could reverse the entire season for Arizona State, but the Devils are quickly running out of time to meet their lofty goals.
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