[BigdaddyQH]

This match up may prove far more interesting than people think. Houston travels to the famed Rose Bowl for what should easily be their most difficult non-con game of the season. UCLA hosts Houston after their Pac 10 opener against Stanford and before a trip to Austin Texas.

Houston will have no problems scoring this year, as Heisman Candidate QB Case Keenum returns, with 8 of his offensive pals. Keenum is re-writting the record book at Houston, and will be firing away all season. This club scored more than 40 points in 8 of it's 13 games last season. More of that is on the way. The defense was the problem for Houston last year, and only 6 starters return from last years team. LB gets hit especially hard. Houston is hoping that Juco transfers can make up for the loss at LB. Still, this team allowed 35 or more points 6 times last season. Improvment is needed.

UCLA has to keep away from the injury bug. 8 starters return on an offense that was riddled by injuries last year, and often anemic, being held to 21 or less points 6 times. The defense only returns 5 starters from a unit that did very well last year, giving up 21 or less points 6 times, a pretty good trick in the wild Pac 10. They must retool their defenslve front line, which was hit very hard by graduation and the NFL defection of DT Brian Price.

From a wagering point of view, the over looks like a potential play, with Houston stacked on offense, weak on defense, and UCLA much the same. The problemis that UCLA just does not get into that many shootouts, only having 3 games hit a total of 50 or more points last season, including their bowl game against Temple. Watch how high the number is. UCLA is 4-1-1 ATS vs non-con opponents under Neuheisel, and normally a fast starter. They are also a very good home favorite, going 14-5-1 in the past 5 years in that role. Houston is 4-1 as an away dog in the past two seasons. Houston should easily be 2-0 entering this game, playing an FCS team and UTEP at home before going out West. UCLA faces a much tougher road, going to Kansas State and hosting Stanford before this match up. Keep that in mind when the line comes out.

[Terrapin Station]

This should be a pretty good game to watch come football season.

[BigdaddyQH]

I think it could be one of the better "non headliner" games.

[sharpcat]

I think UCLA starts to click this year now that Neuhisel has had a few years to bring up and recruit players to play in his system and any line UCLA -10 or less will qualify for a nice play.

[JDUB07]

I love U of H here. Houston's offense is going to be ridiculous this season and we are going to be the latest BCS Buster team!!! Small disclaimer- I'm a student at UH!

[blanda]

Love the over here...

[teaserpleaser]

will cougs have any defense this year??

[BigdaddyQH]

Defense will be a major issue at both schools. Houston never had a defense to begin with, and UCLA loses a lot of key personnel on their defense. It should be interesting.

[steve18]

This has the makings of a 42-35 kind of game. You have to hit the over in this one.

[BigdaddyQH]

UCLA rarely plays 42-35 games. What concerns me is that the boys in Vegas set the total at 65 or 70 or some ridiculously high number. UCLA is a ball control type of offense with the ability to make the big play. What concerns me is that UCLA plays their ball control "eat the clock" style offense in an attempt to keep Keenum and the Houston offense off the field, and that Houston will not be able to stop that type of offense. If UCLA is able to eat 5 or 6 minutes off the clock with each drive, the game may not go over an inflated total.

[intensomayor]

Already have this game marked in my calender

[paste_me]

will cougs have any defense this year??

yes, our red and white game show cased our defense this year. however, i still think ucla wins this one but coogs keep it close

[BigdaddyQH]

It will be a very interesting game. I am wondering what the total will be.

[Terrapin Station]

UCLA rarely plays 42-35 games. What concerns me is that the boys in Vegas set the total at 65 or 70 or some ridiculously high number. UCLA is a ball control type of offense with the ability to make the big play. What concerns me is that UCLA plays their ball control "eat the clock" style offense in an attempt to keep Keenum and the Houston offense off the field, and that Houston will not be able to stop that type of offense. If UCLA is able to eat 5 or 6 minutes off the clock with each drive, the game may not go over an inflated total.

Great point

[the player]

It depends how better Houston's defense is this coming year. UCLA is installing a new offense and is not doing to well with it now. Houston could romp in this game.

[iwantcougars]

yep, ucla isnt a juggernaut offensively and houston d isnt a treat. But if there's a ml line i probably will hit that

[lenahanj]

Houston might win this game by 50 in my opinion

[Kustac]

your tearing it up BigD with all this great analysis

[Vince Lombardi]

UH has go to be better defensively. It should be an entertaining game. They will be able to put up alot of points again this season.

[BigdaddyQH]

I am really suprised at the interest that this game is getting in here. I mean, it is not like we are talking Miami-Ohio State here. But this game should be very entertaining. Aparently UCLA is still having problems generating an offense. Part of the problem is that Chow does not have the talent at UCLA that he had at USC, so he must dimplify the offense, even though he has many trick plays in it. From what I understand, QB Price is simply not advancing as far as Chow and Neuheisel want. With Locker, Luck, and Barkley to contend with, Price seems to be forcing the issue. He should not. He is never going to be in that class of QB. He should play within himself. If he does, he will do fine.

[the player]

There are a lot of rumors flying about some philosophical conflict between Rick and Norm on how to run the offense, which QB to use, to use the "pistol" or not, etc. I guess with those two it would be more of a surprise if they were actually on the same page.

[THEGREAT30]

offense vs defense. Defense usually is ahead of offense in the early season, plus UCLA is home, Lean UCLA, good day

[BigdaddyQH]

I agree, especially talking about UCLA. There certainly is some "confusion" about the offense in Westwood. Neuheisel is known to be kind of a "my way or the highway" sort of guy. His judegments have been questioned in the past. He and Chow are trying to implement an open style of offense but does not have the players to do it, so they have gone to this "fake-shift" offense they call the "pistol". It may get results against a team like Houston that has a questionable defense, but it will not get them to the Rose Bowl.