UCLA will try to keep USC from joining 200 club

UCLA allowed 211 yards rushing in a 44-30 victory over Washington last week. It was the fourth time in the last six games that the Bruins have allowed more than 200 yards rushing.

But this time it was different, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said.

“It was unique,” Ulbrich said. “They maintained that run game and got some yards on us. We were dedicated at that point to keeping things in front of us and not give up the big one.”

UCLA led, 31-10, at halftime. Washington had 137 of its rushing yards in the second half.

Still, the 200-plus yards can be hard for a linebacker to accept.

“You feel responsible for that,” linebacker Myles Jack said. “You feel obligated to stop the run. That’s a linebacker’s first duty: run first, pass second. When they run the ball on you, you take that personally. You feel every run they break is on you.”

Jack, and the other UCLA linebackers, should get plenty of opportunities to practice that philosophy against USC on Nov. 22. The Trojans average 172.4 yards rushing per game. Javorius Allen is the Pac-12’s leading rusher, averaging 124.9 yards per game.