Washington insider makes prediction for Bruins-Huskies showdown

Who will win this game?

The UCLA Bruins played against Iowa on Friday night at the Rose Bowl and got the third straight win. Now, they travel to Seattle to take on the Washington Huskies in another Friday night contest.

This time, it marks the first-ever Big Ten Conference battle between the former Pac-12 schools.

Ahead of the game, Andy Yamashita of The Seattle Times made his prediction for the UCLA-Washington showdown.

“Washington certainly can’t breeze to bowl eligibility like it might’ve expected a month ago. It also has to deal with a scheduling nightmare following its late East Coast kickoff against Penn State, while UCLA gets a regular seven-day preparation window after playing Iowa on a Friday a week ago. But the Huskies are certainly a different team at home, where they have an active 19-game winning streak. Fisch’s squad is averaging 28.4 points per game at home against 15.2 points on the road or at neutral sites.”

Prediction: Huskies 27, Bruins 24

It is expected to be a close game, and the biggest question is whether or not UCLA can continue to play as well as they have over the past few weeks.

UCLA is 4-5 entering this game and suddenly, somehow, in the bowl game conversation. But, it is Washington’s final home game of the year, so it could mean more for the Huskies.

Washington partnering with World of Warcraft for Friday’s game

An interesting twist!

UCLA will head north for a game at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington Friday night and they won’t just be facing the University of Washington, they’ll be taking on the University of Warcraft.

The Huskies penned a deal with the multiplayer online role-playing video game World of Warcraft, which was produced by Blizzard Entertainment, to honor the 20th anniversary of the video game. While the Bruins won’t have to worry about going to battle against Akama or Velen on the gridiron, it should make for a unique experience for any UCLA fans traveling for the away game.

“We are thrilled to unite interactive entertainment with the sports industry to celebrate 20 incredible years of World of Warcraft delighting millions of players worldwide,” said Monica Austin, the head of marketing at Blizzard Entertainment. “Our teams have been working together to create incredible in-person and broadcast experiences for fans, and we hope Husky Nation and World of Warcraft players alike are excited to WoW down to Washington.”

The game experience will feature a special World of Warcraft-themed graphic package, shirts for the student section, special logos, and NIL deals for 11 Husky players but it’s uncertain if they’ll gain any witchcraft superpowers.

“We’re excited to partner with Blizzard Entertainment in a groundbreaking collaboration that brings together the worlds of sports and gaming, highlighting our shared commitment to innovation and creativity,” said Kurt Svoboda, Deputy Athletic Director for External Relations at the University of Washington. “We look forward to Friday’s World of Warcraft takeover at Husky Stadium, where two powerhouse brands will come together for an unforgettable experience.”

Friday’s game will kickoff at 6:00p.m. on Fox as the Bruins search for their fourth win in a row against Washington and World of Warcraft.

UCLA extends Martin Jarmond through 2029

Jarmond staying put!

The UCLA Bruins let Athletic Director Marton Jarmond hire DeShaun Foster after Chip Kelly left for Ohio State.

Now, UCLA is extending Jarmond with a three-year extension, per Pete Thamel of ESPN.

“Sources: UCLA has extended athletic director Martin Jarmond for three years, a deal that runs through 2029. Since Jarmond arrived in 2020, UCLA has won 18 conference titles, five national titles and moved to the Big Ten. Jarmond also spearheaded UCLA’s deal with Nike and Jordan Brand during his tenure. Jarmond is the former athletic director at Boston College and worked at Ohio State and Michigan State prior to BC.”

Jarmond has done well in his time in Westwood, bringing home 18 conference titles between various sports.

Now, UCLA is in its first year in the Big Ten Conference, and the football team has won three in a row after a poor 1-5 start.

Nonetheless, UCLA has decided to keep Jarmond on board through 2029.

Ex-UCLA LB Gabriel Murphy designated to return from IR for Vikings

Gabriel Murphy getting closer.

Former UCLA Bruin linebacker Gabriel Murphy was designated to return from injured reserve on Wednesday for the Minnesota Vikings. Murphy spent the first nine weeks of the season on injured reserve according to Athlon Sports’ Josh Skluzacek but has returned to practice this week.

“The team has officially designated rookie edge rusher Gabriel Murphy to return to practice. He’s been on injured reserve all season but flashed at times this summer.” Skluzacek said of the former Bruin.

Murphy went undrafted in the 2024 NFL draft before signing with the Vikings in April. CBS Sports ranked Murphy as the No.1 undrafted free agent back in April, drawing comparisons to another undrafted Viking, Ivan Pace Jr.

Pace Jr. was undrafted in the 2023 NFL draft before landing with Brian Flores’ defense in Minnesota where he made an immediate impact, making 102 tackles and collecting 2.5 sacks while playing in 16 games, including 11 starts in his rookie season. Pace Jr. has continued the success into his second season, starting in all six of the games he’s appeared this season and returning a fumble for a touchdown against the Lions last month.

After three seasons with the University of North Texas, Murphy transferred to the Bruins ahead of the 2022 season where he made 38 tackles and got 1.5 sacks. Murphy had a big 2023 season where he made another 38 tackles but had 16 tackles for losses and eight sacks before heading to the NFL.

Even after returning to practice, Murphy is still listed as questionable for the Vikings’ game Sunday on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Vikings have 21 days to have Murphy practice with the team before having to add the rookie linebacker to their active roster.

Washington names starting QB for UCLA clash

Washington named its starting QB.

The UCLA Bruins look to continue the three-game winning streak with a Friday night game on the road against the Washington Huskies.

UCLA is fresh off a stunning win over Iowa, and all of a sudden, life is back in the football program.

The Huskies, on the other hand, have a 5-5 record but have lost three of the last four games with the win coming against the USC Trojans.

Washington lost to Penn State on the road, 35-6.

While questions swirled about the quarterback position, Jedd Fisch left no doubt, per Roman Tomashoff of UW Huskies Wire.

“Will (Rogers) will start Friday,” Fisch said.

Despite Demond Williams Jr. seeing some time against Penn State, Fisch is rolling with Rogers once again.

Rogers threw for just 59 yards with no score and an interception in the blowout loss.

On the year, Rogers has 2,343 yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions, although he hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass since October 12 against Iowa.

USC fans can pull a doubleheader in LA on November 23

It’s a blockbuster USC sports doubleheader on November 23. You can go to Galen Center for women’s hoops and then to Pasadena for football versus UCLA.

On Monday, the kickoff time was announced for the annual Crosstown Showdown rivalry game between USC and UCLA. On Saturday, November 23, the Trojans and Bruins will battle under the lights at the Rose Bowl. Kickoff of the Battle of Los Angeles is set for 7:30 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. The game will be televised on NBC. Earlier that afternoon, the USC women’s basketball team will play a marquee early season game when the Women of Troy host Notre Dame at the Galen Center. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. Pacific, also on NBC.

For USC football and basketball fans in Los Angeles, this sets up a dream doubleheader scenario. Fans will be able to catch the basketball game in its entirety, then head over to the Rose Bowl for the football game. Even with LA traffic, there should still be plenty of time for tailgating prior to kickoff.

Even for those who will not be able to attend, it will still be incredibly convenient: NBC will televise both matchups nationally, so fans will not even need to change the channel.

For good measure, the peacock network will also televise Notre Dame football’s showdown with undefeated Army in between these two USC games. Hence, NBC’s schedule for Saturday, November 23 is (Pacific time):

1 p.m.: USC-Notre Dame women’s basketball

4 p.m.: Notre Dame football

7:30 p.m.: USC football versus UCLA

It sets up an exciting day in the spotlight for the Trojans and the Fighting Irish, leading up to their showdown on the football field the following week on Nov. 30.

Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, Ducks Wire, UW Huskies Wire and UCLA Wire.

CBS Sports tabs UCLA as Week 11 winner after downing Iowa

After downing Iowa in Week 11, UCLA was tabbed as one of CBS Sports’ Week 11 college football winners.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are in the midst of a bye week following a 20-17 loss at UCLA.

With the loss, Iowa dropped to 6-4 (4-3 Big Ten) and saw its Rose Bowl struggles continue.

In the loss, Iowa allowed the nation’s worst rushing offense coming in to rack up 211 yards on the ground and 5.4 yards per carry.

Meanwhile, Iowa’s offense struggled to just 265 yards of offense and junior quarterback Brendan Sullivan exited with an ankle injury. That meant the Hawkeyes had to turn to walk-on signal-caller Jackson Stratton thanks to other quarterback injuries coming in.

It was UCLA’s third win in a row as the Bruins improved to 4-5 (3-4 Big Ten).

As a result, UCLA was featured among CBS Sports’ Week 11 college football winners.

After a miserable start to the season, UCLA is quietly the owner of a three-game winning streak against quality opponents. The Bruins beat Rutgers and Nebraska on the road in the past two weeks and capped it off with a 20-17 shocker against Iowa behind a pair of second quarter touchdown passes by quarterback Ethan Garbers. UCLA held Iowa to only 17 points and 265 yards after the Hawkeyes averaged 35.5 points over their previous four games.

UCLA entered the season with a five-game losing streak against power conference competition, but beating Iowa suddenly means their season is alive. The Bruins have a game left against Fresno State and must steal only one against either Washington or USC to make a bowl game. Even getting to this point after a tumultuous offseason is a rousing success for coach DeShaun Foster in his first season. Credit to him. – Shehan Jeyarajah, CBS Sports.

It’s certainly a credit to the job that first-year UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster has done in stabilizing the Bruins’ season.

Suddenly, a string of five straight losses to Indiana, LSU, Oregon, Penn State and Minnesota doesn’t look so bad.

It’s not great for Hawkeye fans that it comes at Iowa’s expense, though.

Iowa has struggled mightily away from Kinnick Stadium this season. Save for the second half at Minnesota, losses at Ohio State, at Michigan State and at UCLA have been low points in 2024.

Iowa returns to action with its final road trip of the 2024 season when it travels to Maryland (4-5, 1-5 Big Ten) on Nov. 23.

Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions.

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ESPN updates matchup predictor ahead of Iowa vs UCLA

ESPN updated its matchup predictor ahead of Iowa at UCLA.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are back in action tonight with a road tilt at the UCLA Bruins.

Iowa (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten) enters having won three of its past four. The Hawkeyes have scored 40-plus in each of those three wins, including a 42-10 beat down of Wisconsin last week.

Junior running back Kaleb Johnson rushed for 135 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries to lead the way for the black and gold.

Meanwhile, UCLA (3-5, 2-4 Big Ten) is suddenly playing its best football of the season.

The Bruins have won back-to-back games for the first time in 2024. UCLA topped Rutgers, 35-32, on Oct. 19 and then beat Nebraska, 27-20, last week.

UCLA senior quarterback Ethan Garbers passed for 383 yards and four touchdowns against Rutgers before throwing for two more scores and 219 yards against the Huskers. Garbers was interception free in each of those two Bruin wins.

With kickoff approaching, let’s take a look at the updated ESPN matchup predictor numbers for Iowa at UCLA and for the remainder of the season.

Iowa at UCLA ESPN matchup predictor

The pick: Iowa

Percentage: 68.0%

Change: Up from 67.3% last week

Iowa at Maryland ESPN matchup predictor

The pick: Iowa

Percentage: 72.9%

Change: Up from 66.9% last week

Iowa vs Nebraska ESPN matchup predictor

The pick: Iowa

Percentage: 77.7%

Change: Up from 70.3%

Though it was marginal tonight at UCLA, ESPN did increased Iowa’s percentages to run the table and win each of its final three games.

If the Hawkeyes do so, Iowa would finish the season with a 9-3 (7-2 Big Ten) mark.

Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions.

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Athlon Sports predicts UCLA-Iowa winner

Prediction time!

The UCLA Bruins host the Iowa Hawkeyes in a tough Big Ten Conference showdown on Friday night.

Iowa has six wins on the year, but UCLA has back-to-back victories over Rutgers and Nebraska and is trending in the right direction.

Ahead of the game, Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports revealed why UCLA could win and gave his prediction for the game.

“If UCLA is going to pull off the upset, Garbers has to be efficient and mistake-free through the air and continue to add a pop to the ground game. The senior rushed for 48 yards against Rutgers and chipped in 56 versus Nebraska. Iowa is stingy through the air, but Garbers has a handful of talented weapons to stretch the field, including running back T.J. Harden (27 catches), tight end Moliki Matavao (24), and receivers Kwazi Gilmer (16) and Logan Loya (20).”

Lassan Picks Iowa to Get the Win

At the end of it, Lassan is sticking with Iowa to get the win but admits UCLA will give the Hawkeyes a run for the money.

“UCLA is trending in the right direction with wins in back-to-back games, but Iowa’s rushing attack and defense is a tough matchup. Look for the Hawkeyes to control the pace of the game and the line of scrimmage, giving Ferentz’s team an ability to pull away in the second half for the win.”

Prediction: Iowa 27, UCLA 17

Kirk Ferentz gives thought on making trip to Rose Bowl

Kirk Ferentz has thoughts on the trip.

With the new-look Big Ten Conference, it provides other teams a chance to make a regular trip to Los Angeles and the Rose Bowl. In Week 11, the Iowa Hawkeyes face the UCLA Bruins in a Friday night showdown in Los Angeles.

Ahead of the game, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz spoke about what it means to play at a historic venue such as the Rose Bowl, per Riley Donald of Hawkeyes Wire.

“Not really. I mean, the venue will be cool. It’s kind of like Wrigley; I’ll explain it to you this way. My wife would be the first one to tell you because she still laughs, I got drenched at the Super Bowl when the Bears and Indy played. We got home at 3:00 because we didn’t have a ride lined up coming out and her response was, ‘Oh, you mean nobody drove you to the game? Nobody gave you a coat when it rained?’ All that kind of stuff. But that’s really kind of our life, and it’s one of the most enjoyable things I’ve done in my life is take my daughters on college visits because I get to see the college, not just the stadium.”

Still, Ferentz admits they are going just to play a game and he doesn’t sound worried about much else.

“We’re going to play a game, a tough game against a tough opponent, and we all know we’ve got our work cut out, and this is going to be a tough challenge for us…Hopefully, somebody can take some pictures and we’ll look at those during the bye week.”