Breaking Down Bruins' Upcoming Opponent's Defensive Unit

The UCLA Bruins will wrap up the 2024 season on senior day with a battle against Fresno State at the Rose Bowl. Their defensive unit is one of the top in the Mountain West conference and will be a good test for the Bruins to cap off the year.

Nov 25, 2022; Fresno, California, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs linebacker Malachi Langley (35) celebrates with teammates after intercepting a pass against the Wyoming Cowboys in the third quarter at Valley Children's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images / Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins (4-7) will wrap up the 2024 season with a non-conference matchup with in-state Fresno State (6-5) this Saturday afternoon at the Rose Bowl and the defense that the Bruins will face is one of the best in the Mountain West conference.

The Bulldogs possess the number three defense in their conference, allowing an average of 353.8 total yards per game. Their pass defense is just as good, giving up 210.2 yards per game through the air. It will be a challenge for the Bruins air attack to expose one of the conference's stronger defenses.

Senior defensive back Cam Lockridge has been an absolute beast this year as he leads the team by a wide margin with five interceptions. He adds 39 tackles, seven pass deflections, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery to his season resume. He will be the guy to stay away from when throwing.

When it comes to the Bulldogs' pass rush, they have gathered 19 sacks which is one less than what the Bruins have been able to create this season. There are four different defenders with three sacks this season which proves there are multiple threats at the linebacker and defensive line positions.

Senior linebacker Tuasivi Nomura has not recorded a sack this season due to the fact that he does not blitz and he is the eyes in the middle of the field, leading the team in tackles with 90. He will be the centerpiece of the defense to shut down the Bruins' rush attack and short pass game.

The run defense is still top five for the Bulldogs in the conference. They allow an average of 143.6 yards per game on the ground, which bodes well for the Bruins who have struggled most of the year in running the football.

The Bruins will likely be featuring most of their seniors for a majority of the game, but the main priority will be to win the game and end the season with a victory. Junior running back T.J. Harden will likely still play but will need to be effective alongside seniors Jalen Berger and Keegan Jones.

The Bulldogs are already bowl-eligible, and the Bruins have no chance of accomplishing that with only one game left to play and four wins. They will still have something to play for on senior day and the offensive attack will be looking to finish the season on the right note.

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