This afternoon, the UCLA Bruins open the 2021 season against the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors at the Rose Bowl. Today’s game will be the first game where fans will be in attendance since the 2019 season. As I finish writing this, the parking lots at the Rose Bowl are slowly filling up as tailgaters arrive for the game. Let’s dive right in and look at this week’s Keys to the Game.

Keys to the Game

The keys to this week’s game are pretty simple.

1. Stop Chevan Cordeiro.

Chevan Cordeiro is Hawai’i’s dual-threat quarterback. In addition to completing 62% of his passes last season, Cordeiro led the team in rushing. So, the Bruins need to contain the pocket and keep Cordeiro from taking off. Aggressive pressure defense, like we saw last season, should be able to stop him.

2. Turnovers

I’m finishing this article from the Rose Bowl parking lot and one of my friends has already asked me, “What’s the over-under on the number of times DTR fumbles the ball without getting hit?”

I think the Bruins are going to continue to improve their turnover ratio this year, but that’s definitely one of the keys to today’s game. UCLA needs to force turnovers from the Rainbow Warriors while holding onto the ball themselves.

3. LS-Who?

It goes without saying that UCLA needs to be focused on today’s opponent. If the Bruins are looking ahead to next week’s game against LSU, Hawai’i might be able to pull off an upset. So, the third key today is to make sure the team is focused on pummelling the Rainbow Warriors and not thinking about next week’s opponent.

UCLA Football (0-0)

• Opponent: Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors (0-0)

• Series Record: UCLA leads, 3-0-0

• When: 12:30 pm PT, Saturday, August 28, 2021

• Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA

• TV: ESPN with Beth Mowins, Kirk Morrison and Dawn Davenport

• Live Stream: WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app

• Radio/Audio:
  AM 570 in Los Angeles with Josh Lewin, Matt Stevens and Wayne Cook
  Satellite Radio: SiriusXM Ch. 84 (UCLA Call)
  And, of course, here in The Mighty Bruin Game Thread!

• Live Stats: UCLA StatBroadcast

• Game Notes:
  UCLA
  Hawai’i

Go Bruins!!!

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