Scoring on the Bruins

While "Lockergate" continues to eat up local and national headlines, BYU's game against UCLA is just four days away.
What looked like a probable Cougar win during fall camp and the first half of the Bruins' opener against Tennessee, has become possibly the toughest test BYU will face in 2008.
The biggest challenge Saturday? Scoring points. BYU's offense is averaging nearly 35 points per game thus far, but don't expect the Cougars to reach that tally this week.
Far too many fan predictions have BYU reaching the 30s. Don't count on it.
Scoring more than three 3 TDs against a tough UCLA defense that is very familiar with our offense will be a tall order. With athletic corners, the Bruins can man up BYU's receivers and stack the box to take away the running game.
That means there will be more pressure on BYU's defense to make the stops it struggled to make against Washington. Fortunately, Kevin Craft is no Jake Locker and UCLA's more conventional approach (i.e, less QB creativity) will be easier to stop.
I see this game in the 20s, with one the loser probably not escaping the teens on the scoreboard.
UCLA has the better defense. BYU has the better offense. UCLA has outstanding coaching. BYU has an outstanding system in place. Both have special teams standouts.
The factor that slides the edge to BYU is the fact the game is at LaVell Edwards Stadium. But this'll be another heart-stopper.
Prediction: BYU 23, UCLA 17