UCLA needs to establish Paul Perkins and the other running backs early and often against the Virginia defense. UVa’s front seven, especially their linebackers, are very green, so hopefully Noel Mazzone and the Bruins will run straight at the Cavaliers until they prove they can stop the ground game.
Running the ball effectively will keep the Bruin’s in manageable 2nd and 3rd downs so Josh Rosen can make the easy plays in his first ever college football game. If the running game can’t get going, then every other facet of the game becomes more difficult and the more the Bruins will have to depend on their least known component: their true freshman quarterback.