UCLA vs. NC State Holiday Bowl Predictions

The All Bruins staff make their picks for how Tuesday's game against the Wolfpack is going to go down.

Bowl eligibility is on the line for the visitor, while the host team is looking to boost their standing in a big way.

UCLA football (8-4, 6-3 Pac-12) will play No. 18 NC State (9-3, 6-2) in the Holiday Bowl at Petco Park in San Diego on Tuesday The Bruins have won the only two head-to-head matchups with the Wolfpack, but those were over 60 years ago and the program hasn't won a bowl game since 2014.

All Bruins is making its picks for who will win, what the score will be and how the game will play out, courtesy of Managing Editor Sam Connon and contributing writer Benjamin Royer.

Sam Connon, Managing Editor

Prediction: NC State 38, UCLA 34

The Chip Kelly era has very much been building up to this moment.

Sadly, that culmination isn't likely to end in a Holiday Bowl victory for UCLA.

Don't take that the wrong way – the Bruins certainly have a shot, and they'll fight it out to the very end, as they did in their heartbreaking losses to Oregon and Fresno State. But the fact remains that UCLA has yet to beat a team with a winning record in 2021, and they didn't do so in 2020 either.

NC State may not be as good as Utah, but all things considered, the Wolfpack are the second-best team the Bruins will have faced this year. Coach Dave Doeren is one of the most underrated leading men in the country, and his balanced approach has led to NC State boasting a top 30 scoring offense and a top 30 scoring defense this season.

The fact of the matter is that, in order to win any given week, UCLA needs to run the ball and they need to score. The Bruins are 7-1 when they score 34 or more points and just 1-3 when they don't, so going against a Wolfpack defense that is allowing 19.7 points per game is not a great sign.

Running back Zach Charbonnet will have Brittain Brown alongside him again this week, giving UCLA its true two-headed monster out of the backfield for the first time in weeks. When they and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson really get it moving on the ground, things go well for the Bruins, as they are 7-1 when putting up over 200 rushing yards.

NC State, however, has allowed 200 rushing yards just twice all season, and to make matters worse for UCLA, they won both of those games despite that.

As entertaining of a matchup as it's going to be, it really seems like the Bruins got a tough draw when they got paired with the Wolfpack. If Kelly draws up a perfect game plan and the defense's pressure forces quarterback Devin Leary into a rare mistake or two, UCLA could pull out a big-time win down south.

But for that to happen, nearly everything would have to go right – Thompson-Robinson would have to sling it, Charbonnet and Brown would have to ground and pound and the defense would have to be as disruptive as its been all season, even without striker Qwuantrezz Knight.

Individually, each of those events are possible. For them to all happen at the same time is a bit of a long shot, though, and as a result, UCLA will likely go home without a trophy to bring back with them.

Benjamin Royer, contributing writer

Prediction: UCLA 41, NC State 38

Fans should expect nothing less than fireworks when UCLA and NC State face off Tuesday in Petco Park's first-ever football game.

Thompson-Robinson and Leary, two quarterbacks fit for the big stage, will now both will play on one at the Holiday Bowl. Thompson-Robinson has been the backbone of the Bruins’ offense since Kelly’s arrival and, should he leave for the 2022 NFL Draft, his first-ever bowl win would be a fitting way to close his collegiate career.

Leary has a shot at establishing himself as a top quarterback in the college landscape while on primetime television as well. All season long, supporters of UCLA have let it be known how they feel about defensive coordinator Jerry Azzinaro and assistant head coach Brian Norwood’s handling of the Bruins’ secondary. As the slate of games progressed, the problems were never really solved.

UCLA’s Week 13 matchup against Cal showed some promise regarding the passing defense, but Leary holds a different level of consistency than the quarterbacks the Bruins have faced and will exploit the weak coverage they possess better than probably anyone else has all fall. Not to mention the fact that the secondary will be without Knight, who is unavailable due to COVID-19 protocols.

Only throwing five interceptions compared to 35 touchdowns through 2021, Leary will keep the Wolfpack within striking distance all game long.

With that being said, the Bruins are ready for this battle and will come out on top. Both Charbonnet and Brown are set to be available and the wide receiver corps are ready to go as weapons for Thompson-Robinson to utilize.

To start the season, UCLA put up 44 points against Hawaii, but in the following 10 weeks, the Bruins failed to break 40. As of late, the Bruins have been running and gunning to score, though – they scored 40-plus in their final three games of the regular season and emerged victorious each time.

In the Holiday Bowl, the Bruins will go for and successfully grab a fourth straight victory behind their potent offense.

Barring any late changes due to COVID-19 protocols or injuries, UCLA should bring the Westwood faithful their first bowl win since the 2014 season.

Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow Royer on Twitter at @thebenroyer
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @SI_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @SI.AllBruins
Subscribe to All Bruins on YouTube

Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA football stories: UCLA Football on Sports Illustrated