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A look at how UCLA and Cal will match up on Friday

UCLA's Josh Rosen will be playing in what’s expected to be his final home game before entering the NFL draft.
(Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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California (5-6, 2-6) at UCLA (5-6, 3-5)

Friday, 7:30 p.m., Rose Bowl, TV: FS1. Radio: 570.

Marquee matchup

UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen vs. the Cal secondary. Rosen will be playing in what’s expected to be his final home game before entering the NFL draft. He’d also like to have a good showing as a tribute to recently fired coach Jim Mora while helping the Bruins secure the victory they need to become eligible for a bowl. Rosen has passed for 3,515 yards this season and needs 226 to surpass Brett Hundley for a school single-season record. Cal’s pass defense has allowed 254.3 yards per game, ranking 10th in the Pac-12 Conference.

Getting offensive

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UCLA (466 ypg/34.1 ppg): Bruins interim coach Jedd Fisch will continue calling plays for an offense that is averaging 6.4 yards per play, not far off the modern school record of 6.81 yards per play set in 1998.

Cal (377.8 ypg/27.8 ppg): Tailback Patrick Laird is averaging 6 yards per carry and needs 51 yards to reach 1,000 for the season. Quarterback Ross Bowers has been spotty, completing 58.8% of his passes with 12 interceptions and 17 touchdowns.

Getting defensive

UCLA (491.5 ypg/37.6 ppg): The Bruins’ beleaguered run defense, which has surrendered a school-record 3,176 rushing yards, is coming off its best performance of the season. UCLA held USC to 153 rushing yards and 3.7 yards per carry.

Cal (427 ypg/28.3 ppg): The Bears held Stanford tailback Bryce Love mostly in check last week with the exception of a 57-yard touchdown run. “Other than the one long run we played him pretty well,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox said, “but that’s one long run too many.”

Something special

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UCLA might want to fully devote a coach to special teams as part of the expanded 10-man staff allowed next season. There have been repeated breakdowns, including a miscommunication against USC that led to a punt being returned for a touchdown. … Cal kicker Matt Anderson has made 16 of 22 field goals, 13 of which have been good from at least 40 yards.

Of note

UCLA is trying to go unbeaten at the Rose Bowl for the first time since 2005, when the Bruins wiped out a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter during a 47-40 victory over the Bears. … The winning team in this series has scored at least 30 points in each of the last 13 meetings.

Local ties

The Bears have 43 players from Southern California, including many starters: left tackle Patrick Mekari (Westlake Village), center Addison Ooms (Laguna Niguel), fullback Malik McMorris (Santa Ana), nose guard Tony Mekari (Westlake Village), linebacker Raymond Davison III (Los Angeles), cornerback Camryn Bynum (Corona), cornerback Elijah Hicks (La Mirada), safety Quentin Tartabull (Mission Hills), safety Jaylinn Hawkins (Buena Park), punter Dylan Klumph (Malibu) and long snapper Alonso Vera (Carson). … Four UCLA starters are from Northern California: safety Adarius Pickett (Richmond), tackle Kolton Miller (Roseville), defensive tackle Boss Tagaloa (Pittsburgh) and long snapper Johnny Den Bleyker (Fremont).

ben.bolch@latimes.com

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Follow Ben Bolch on Twitter @latbbolch

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