CFB: UCLA headed to bigger house in Tennessee
By Al Balderas
The Orange County Register
It’s time for the UCLA football team to push Saturday’s 33-14 victory into the past.
The Bruins’ next game will come with a host of different challenges, some of which will occur before kickoff.
Unlike last week, when the Bruins played in front of a crowd of just more than 50,000 at the Rose Bowl, this week’s game will be played at Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium.
Like the Rose Bowl, Neyland Stadium holds more than 100,000 spectators. The difference is that most if not all of the seats in Knoxville will be filled.
In their past 85 home games, the Volunteers had crowds of more than 100,000 on 79 occasions. The expectations for this weekend’s matchup should also be above six figures, especially after last year’s UCLA victory.
It will be deafening. It will be intimidating. It will be unforgettable.
“When you dream about being a part of college football, as a player or a coach, you dream about being in these kinds of environments,” UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said Monday.
“Our entire football program is honored and looking forward to the chance to go and square off against one of the top opponents in all of college football. We’re going to try to enjoy every moment of it and see if we can’t play our best and see where that leads us.”
Free safety Rahim Moore, selected as the National Defensive Player of the Week after picking off three passes last week, was forewarned and is looking ahead to the latest challenge.
“I was told it might be one of the biggest stadiums I’ve ever played in,” he said. “It’s going to determine how you act when a crowd is going against you. It’s really going to show how tough we are as an organization.”
Though both teams will enter the contest unranked, Tennessee looked impressive in its 63-7 thumping of Western Kentucky last Saturday at Neyland.
The Volunteers ran for 380 yards and threw for another 277. They had 34 first downs, to the
Hilltoppers’ six. They finished with 657 yards of total offense, while Western Kentucky had 83.
“They’re a gifted group of guys,” Neuheisel said. “Their running backs are off to a terrific start.
They’re both (freshman Bryce Brown and senior Montario Hardesty) sensational type backs. That will be a huge challenge for us, to try to contain the running game.”
INJURY UPDATES
Tailback Christian Ramirez (ankle) and Gavin Ketchum (hamstring) are doubtful for Saturday’s game. ...
Glenn Love tweaked his ankle Saturday against San Diego State but is probable. “We’ll have to see, but my thought is that he’ll make the game,” Neuheisel said. “He’s not going to let anything keep him out.”