UCLA Bruins

Is UCLA primed to be a first-time College Football Playoff team?

Published Oct. 14, 2022 2:27 p.m. ET

Dorian Thompson-Robinson took the snap, ran to his right, juked a pair of Washington defenders into colliding with each other, and scampered into the end zone for a touchdown. He let out a scream of joy as UCLA took a commanding 33-10 lead over Washington in a Week 5 Pac-12 showdown.

"When I saw the replay, it was like, ‘Ooh,’" UCLA safety Stephan Blaylock said. "Like, excuse me!"

Los Angeles Chargers All-Pro wide receiver Keenan Allen chimed in on Twitter, saying "UCLA QB is tuff!"

This was new territory for Thompson-Robinson, who sported a 16-18 (.471) record in 34 starts under center for the Bruins over the past four seasons.

It wasn’t always "oohs" and "ahhs" for DTR early on in his career, as the senior signal-caller struggled at times throughout his first four seasons in Bruin Blue.

But that appears to be behind him now as Thompson-Robinson and the Bruins are playing as well as any team in the country heading into Week 7, and the college football universe is taking notice.

FOX Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt looked at teams that could make the College Football Playoff for the first time this season on the latest episode of "The Joel Klatt Show," and leading the way was none other than the UCLA Bruins.

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Joel Klatt discussed which teams might have a chance to make the playoffs for the first time this season, headlined by the UCLA Bruins.

While Klatt does speak to the balance that this team has on both sides of the ball, he was quick to point out the brilliance of Thompson-Robinson through the first six weeks of the season.

"He is playing at a borderline Heisman level, maybe a Pac-12 Player of the Year level," Klatt said of Thompson-Robinson. "His experience has materialized into efficient play. He is throwing the ball well, and he is making plays with his feet."

Thompson-Robinson currently ranks first in the Pac-12 in completion percentage (74.8%), average yards per completion (9.3) and total QBR (180.6). He ranks second in touchdown passes with 16, trailing only Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. (17), and has the second-highest rushing touchdown total among quarterbacks, trailing Oregon’s Bo Nix.

But while Thompson-Robinson and the Bruins offense have gotten most of the shine this season, the team’s defense has been quietly putting up some impressive numbers in a pass-happy Pac-12 conference.

The Bruins' defense leads the Pac-12 in yards allowed per play and rank second in yards surrendered per game. They are also one of only two teams in the conference holding opposing offenses under 100 rushing yards per contest.

This past weekend, the UCLA defense shut down Utah QB Cameron Rising, not allowing a single touchdown pass in an impressive 42-32 victory. For context, Rising had thrown 13 touchdown passes combined in his previous five games.

"That’s why they handled Utah," Klatt said. "Nobody has handled Utah since Cameron Rising was their quarterback."

But while it has been the play of Thompson-Robinson combined with a stout defense that have gotten the team to this point, it is equally important to look at the potential path the Bruins could take when considering their CFP chances.

The Bruins’ next four games are as follows: at Oregon, vs. Stanford, at Arizona State and vs. Arizona.

USC or UCLA to win the Pac-12?

Joel Klatt reacts to the USC's win over Washington State, but questions heth UCLA is actually the team to beat in the Pac-12.

"Of these teams that have not made the playoffs, this is the most likely and plausible path that I can create," Klatt said of UCLA’s upcoming slate of games. "Nothing scares me on their schedule."

Chip Kelly’s team closes out the regular season with a much-anticipated tilt against No. 7 USC at the Rose Bowl, before traveling to Cal to take on the Bears in the season finale.

If the Bruins were to finish the regular season undefeated and win the Pac-12 Championship Game, would that guarantee them a spot in this year’s College Football Playoff?

"At that point, they are going to the playoff," Klatt said. "It doesn’t matter if two undefeated teams face each other in the SEC Championship Game, I still believe that if UCLA, or any Pac-12 team, were to go undefeated and be a Pac-12 champ, they would go."

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