PLAYERS TO WATCH
–RB Salvon Ahmed saw his heaviest workloads of the season against Arizona State and last week vs. BYU, rushing 10 times in each contest. He delivered, going for 71 and 86 yards. Ahmed’s explosiveness provides a nice balance with four-year starting RB Myles Gaskin.
–WR Aaron Fuller has been QB Jake Browning’s favorite target throughout the 2018 season, with 30 catches through five games. He scored his first touchdown of the season against Arizona State and snared a season-high eight passes last week against BYU.
–CB Myles Bryant played an outstanding game against BYU, recording a team-high seven tackles including two for loss and a sack. Bryant plays with a ball-hawking style similar to that of former Washington standout Budda Baker, converging on run plays frequently.
–LB Benning Potoa’e, a leading pass-rush presence for Washington a season ago, may have ample opportunity to tee off on Saturday. UCLA’s offensive line has struggled to protect QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, most recently giving up three sacks in a 38-16 loss to Colorado.
With defensive end Shane Bowman out for 6-to-8 weeks, Potoa’e may be the Huskies most effective rusher.
SERIES HISTORY: UCLA leads Washington, 40-31-2. Saturday is Washington’s first trip to the Rose Bowl since 2013 and Petersen’s first time as a head coach in the venue.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “You want to have a game like this where, by the third quarter, you feel pretty good about it. You can start rotating guys in. The offense came out explosive to start. We shut them down, I think before the fourth quarter they had nine yards rushing,” — LB Ben Burr-Kirven on Washington’s complete performance against BYU.