Three things to watch: UA versus UCLA

Even though the UCLA Bruins have yet to win a Pac-10 game, Saturday’s contest (3:30 p.m. Fox Sports Arizona) could be awfully dangerous for the Arizona Wildcats, thanks to “the curse of adulation.”

See, one of the biggest problems facing any college football coach is managing expectations. These are 18- to 22-year-old kids who read the papers and watch SportsCenter just like anyone else. The Wildcats know they’re ranked No. 22 in the latest BCS poll. They’re walking around campus with their classmates patting them on the back and they can’t help but get swept up in it, even a little bit.

Fans can always get a sense of how good their team is during times of extreme disappointment or extreme adulation. After UA’s wacky 36-33 loss at Washington, the team bounced back from that letdown to defeat Stanford in thrilling, come-from-behind fashion. Now what can these fans expect after seeing their team’s name in the BCS polls and their quarterback’s name atop the completion-percentage leaders?

No 1: Shore up the defense.

Lost in the hoopla of Arizona’s 15-point comeback last Saturday was just how terrible the team played defensively through the first three quarters of that game.

The Wildcats gave up 584 total yards and 38 points — both season-highs. Had Toby Gerhart not injured his ankle in the fourth quarter (right before that crucial fourth-and-1 play deep in Arizona territory), the outcome could’ve been much different.

Arizona came into last week’s game ranked No. 16 in the nation in total defense. Now, the Cats are ranked No. 43. What a difference a week makes.

Yes, the Wildcats’ defense stepped up when it mattered that fourth quarter, stifling Stanford’s previously unstoppable passing attack. But Arizona won’t stop too many teams playing the way it did the first 45 minutes.

Devin Ross and Trevin Wade spent the entire game on an island, since the linebackers and safeties needed to focus so much of their energy on slowing down Gerhart. In addition, Arizona’s front four got next to no pressure on Andrew Luck. Since Brooks Reed injured himself against Iowa, UA has struggled to get a pass rush, with Ricky Elmore proving to be the only productive member of that front four.

“The best pass defense starts with a good pass rush, and we’ve been missing that lately,” said head coach Mike Stoops.

Ross and Wade were both burnt on various bubble screens and hitch-and-go routes against Stanford, but Wade’s remarkable effort to swat the ball away from the much bigger Chris Owusu sealed the game for the Cats. Arizona has as talented of a cornerback tandem as anyone in the Pac-10, but even they need a little help.

This week, the Wildcats should be in for a bit of a break, as UCLA is only 81st in the nation with 193.7 yards of passing offense. Freshman Kevin Craft has shown flashes this season, but he still has a long ways to go before he can put the kind of pressure on a defense that we saw from Luck last week.

No. 2: Foles versus Rahim Moore.

Nick Foles is no longer a secret. After completing 40 of 51 passes for 415 yards and three scores (with no picks), Foles has made a name for himself on the national radar. He ranks No. 1 in completion percentage at 73.9 — ahead of names like Colt McCoy (70), Tim Tebow (65.5) and Jimmy Clausen (64.9).

A big part of Foles’ success is how offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes’ offense has been built around Foles’ strengths — quick reads, short throws, split decisions. In fact, Foles is such a natural in Dykes’ spread offense that it makes one wonder why Matt Scott started the first three games of the season.

Since Foles gets rid of the ball in such a hurry, teams haven’t had an opportunity to put much of a pass rush on him. The offensive line has done a spectacular job keeping Foles upright, as the Cats have given up only four sacks all season (tied for third-best in college football).

With Nic Grigsby (shoulder) and Keola Antolin (ankle) dealing with nagging injuries the last few weeks, Arizona’s run-first attack (when Scott was the QB) has shifted back into the short-pass system we saw the last two seasons with Willie Tuitama. A healthy Grigsby gives the Wildcats one of the most dangerous offenses in the Pac-10 (witness Grigsby’s 57-yard dash to paydirt to win the Stanford game).

But with Foles and an emerging wide receiver corps (led by wonderful performances from Juron Criner, David Douglas, Terrell Turner and David Roberts) as the focal point of UA’s offense, it will face a stiff challenge in UCLA’s excellent pass defense (20th in the nation, second in the Pac-10).

Sophomore safety Rahim Moore announced his presence with authority this season, picking off three passes against San Diego State and two against Tennessee. His five picks are tied for the most in college football, and he’d likely have more, but teams are smartly throwing away from him.

Health permitting, Moore appears on his way toward a lucrative NFL career, so Foles would be wise to keep the ball away from his grasp.

No. 3: Momentum is fleeting.

Since starting the season 3-0 with impressive wins over Tennessee and Kansas State, UCLA has fallen back to earth, losing three straight conference games and putting the team in a major hole for the rest of the season.

However, that doesn’t mean that UCLA isn’t a dangerous team. Stanford, Oregon and California are talented, explosive teams, and UCLA failed to catch a break in any of those contests.

Freshman tailback Johnathan Franklin has proven to be a game-changer, when given the carries. He picked up 101 yards on just 11 carries and scored twice in the team’s 45-26 loss to Cal last week.

Meanwhile, Arizona is coming into Saturday’s game feeling great after that come-from-behind win, but two straight games with down-to-the-wire finishes can be emotionally draining for any team.

While UCLA — and Moore in particular — presents plenty of challenges for the Wildcats if they’re too busy looking ahead, I expect Arizona to emulate its quarterback’s personality and remain even-keeled and business-oriented. The Cats simply have too much talent on both sides of the ball. As long as Arizona takes care of busines on its end, expect to see the 50,000-plus fans at Arizona Stadium to leave satisfied.

Prediction: Arizona 38, UCLA 17.

nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747