Penn State and UCLA meet on the soccer area Saturday for the primary since Lyndon B. Johnson was President of the USA and a younger Joe Paterno was in his third season as coach of the Nittany Lions.
That is proper, the final time the Bruins and Nittany Lions performed one another was in 1968. Penn State beat UCLA 21-7 in Los Angeles, and oddly sufficient, it was the sixth-straight 12 months the faculties met. They have been the one six video games they’ve ever performed. For no matter motive, they determined to get collectively six straight occasions, and by no means referred to as each other once more.
Additional proof that long-distance relationships will be troublesome.
Now that they share a convention, we’re slated to see many extra conferences between them sooner or later, however what can we anticipate from this primary contest as convention foes?
Methods to watch Penn State vs. UCLA reside
Date: Saturday, Oct. 5 | Time: Midday ET
Location: Beaver Stadium — College Park, Pennsylvania
TV: Fox | Reside stream: fubo (Attempt without cost)
Penn State vs. UCLA: Have to know
This recreation marks a uncommon occasion for UCLA soccer: We have gone over how uncommon it’s for these groups to play, however what if I instructed you this was the primary time UCLA performed a soccer recreation within the Japanese Time Zone since 2014? Nicely, it’s. Ten years in the past the Bruins travelled to Charlottesville, Virginia for his or her season-opener in opposition to Virginia. They gained 28-20. The await the subsequent journey will not take almost as lengthy. After returning dwelling to face Minnesota subsequent week, the Bruins will likely be again within the Japanese Time Zone two weeks from now to face Rutgers. So many frequent flyer miles for this program.
That is the fourth straight season Penn State has began 4-0: For some packages, a 4-0 begin is one thing to be enthusiastic about. For Penn State, it is enterprise as common. Not solely have the Nittany Lions began the final 4 seasons with a 4-0 report, they’ve gone 5-0 within the final three, and wish to lengthen that streak to 4 straight with a win right here. Final 12 months the Lions reached 6-0 earlier than dropping to Ohio State, and as any Penn State fan will inform you, the robust begins are fantastic, however beating groups like Ohio State and Michigan would imply much more.
Penn State has gained 24 straight in opposition to unranked groups: As that earlier stat would recommend, it is a staff that does nicely in opposition to unranked opponents. The streak of 24 straight wins in opposition to groups not within the AP High 25 dates again to the 2021 season when the Nittany Lions misplaced 20-18 at dwelling to Illinois in 9 overtimes. Sure, that is proper, 9 overtimes. The Nittany Lions obtained some revenge final week, beating a ranked Illinois 21-7.
Penn State vs. UCLA prediction, picks
UCLA’s introduction to life within the Massive Ten has not been nice. The Bruins are 0-2 and have been outscored by 50 factors. Each of these video games have been at dwelling and so they’ve allowed at the very least 34 factors in every of them. Now they’re touring to Penn State, and it is laborious to think about a protection that is been run over by Indiana, LSU and Oregon will fare significantly better in opposition to the Nittany Lions. Maybe the early begin will result in a sleepy Penn State efficiency, however I would not guess on it. Choose: Penn State -27.5
Which faculty soccer picks are you able to make with confidence in Week 6? Go to SportsLine to see which groups will win and canopy the unfold — all from a confirmed laptop mannequin that has returned nicely over $2,000 in revenue since its inception — and discover out.