Stanford defense poses final hurdle in UCLA’s Pac-12 South title run

With everything – the Pac-12 South title, a spot in the conference championship game and the possibility of a playoff spot – laid out before them, the Bruins are doing their best not to look back.

Not to last Saturday’s victory over USC. Not to the two losses suffered at home earlier in the season. And certainly not to its current six-game losing streak to Stanford.

Fittingly, No. 8 UCLA’s (9-2, 6-2 Pac-12) final hurdle of the regular season comes against the team it has yet to clear, as it takes on Stanford (6-5, 4-4) – a team the Bruins have yet to beat under coach Jim Mora’s tenure.

“It’s no secret they beat us three times in a row and we’ve got a lot to play for,” Mora said. “I don’t think revenge is a factor – it’s more going out (Friday), executing, playing our best football and giving ourselves a chance to continue playing this year.”

But while the Bruins’ focus is on the task at hand, it may serve them well to take a look back. After all, this Stanford team is similar to most Cardinal squads under coach David Shaw: tough and physical.

That’s the evaluation that each Bruin had – almost to a man – concerning the Cardinal. Such analysis is particularly true of Stanford’s defense, which enters Friday’s game No. 7 in the nation in points allowed per game at 16.5 – or more than a touchdown less on average than any other Pac-12 defense.

“What isn’t challenging about the Stanford defense?” said offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone. “Since I’ve been in this league and played against them, we’ve always had a rough time against them. They’re tough, physical (and) they always got a great scheme.”

It’s been more than a challenge for UCLA’s offense in three previous matchups with Stanford. The Bruins failed to top 80 yards rushing while the Cardinal held them to 2.7 and 2.2 yards per carry in two of the contests.

With Stanford allowing 102 yards less per game than the Pac-12’s second-stingiest defense and ranking in the top 16 in the nation in both rush and pass defense, that challenge will be no different Friday.

What is different about Stanford is its offense, though it still has its smash-mouth style. But rather than being ground-and-pound, the Cardinal attack has just been grounded, as Stanford ranks in the bottom half of the conference in nearly every offensive category.

That Cardinal offense has been at its worst when playing the best this season – Stanford is 0-5 against ranked opponents, averaging just 13.4 points in those contests. Any hopes of improving that mark were dealt a blow this past Saturday when star receiver Ty Montgomery injured his shoulder against Cal and was ruled out for the UCLA game by Shaw Tuesday.

In his stead, Stanford will rely even more on its ground game, which also has a different look this year. Gone is workhorse running back Tyler Gaffney, who bulldozed the Bruins to the tune of 171 yards and two scores on 36 carries a year ago.

This season, the Cardinal are more reliant on a by-committee approach, with four players topping 50 carries while running back Remound Wright leads the team with 488 rushing yards. Still, even though Stanford’s offense is minus a go-to receiver and without a go-to back, UCLA’s defense isn’t taking a tough Cardinal offense lightly.

“(They do) a lot of runs, a lot of power and some physicality that we haven’t seen from the Pac-12,” said redshirt senior linebacker Eric Kendricks. “They are a physical team, and we have to match that.”

Both Kendricks and redshirt senior safety Anthony Jefferson said that the key to figuring out Stanford’s pro-style attack – which utilizes extra offensive linemen as tight ends and relies on play action in its passing game – is eye discipline.

On a short holiday week with the number of distractions mounting, it’s a lesson worth noting for the entire team. UCLA enters as the favorite by five points, poised to end a losing streak that dates back to 2009.

Not that the Bruins need the incentive.

“Motivation is just to win just flat out. If that doesn’t motivate you, I don’t know what will,” said junior wide receiver Jordan Payton. “What we have at stake, what’s within our grasp – everything is there for us as long as we keep winning.”