UCLA vs. Colorado: Key matchups and story lines for Saturday’s game

UCLA’s path is clear. If the No. 24 Bruins win their next five games, they will go to the Pac-12 Conference championship game. That journey begins with a game against Colorado at the Rose Bowl. Staff writer Chris Foster examines the matchups and story lines:

Front runners?

Utah leads the Pac-12 South Division, but UCLA, which was in disarray two weeks ago after taking a beating at Stanford, is now well-positioned to contend for the lead.

Arizona State’s triple-overtime loss to Oregon on Thursday night left the Sun Devils a game behind UCLA in the loss column — important because the Sun Devils beat the Bruins on Oct. 3.

UCLA is a game back of Utah and is tied with USC. The Bruins’ last two regular-season games are at Utah on Nov. 21 and at USC on Nov. 28.

Between those games, UCLA plays Colorado, Oregon State and Washington State.

This kind of long-term view makes UCLA Coach Jim Mora cringe because it deviates from his one-game-at-a-time mantra. However, his players can crunch the numbers.

“All we have to do is win out,” defensive lineman Eli Ankou said.

Buffalo soldiers

Colorado has won only five of 40 Pac-12 football games since joining the conference in 2011.

Asked what he has seen from the Buffaloes in two-plus seasons under Coach Mike MacIntyre, Mora said: “Consistency, better players, players who play with great discipline, toughness, always competitive.”

Last season, Colorado took UCLA to double overtime before losing, 40-37, in Boulder.

But the Buffaloes were outscored, 90-29, in two visits to the Rose Bowl as a Pac-12 member.

Run down

Colorado gives up 209.5 yards rushing per game, ranking the Buffaloes 111th out of 127 Football Bowl Subdivision teams.

The loss of linebackers Addison Gillam and Kenneth Olugbode has been part of the problem. Gillam suffered a season-ending knee injury and Olugbode’s availability is uncertain because of a leg injury.

Also unclear is how much UCLA will be able to use Paul Perkins (knee) and Nate Starks (concussion), its top running backs.

If Perkins and Starks are limited or unavailable, UCLA still has productive freshmen Soso Jamabo and Bolu Olorunfunmi. Jamabo had 79 yards rushing last week in a victory over California.

Dual threat

Colorado quarterback Sefo Liufau, a 6-foot-4, 240-pound junior, pushed the Bruins to double overtime last season by passing for 246 yards and two touchdowns.

But it’s his running ability that worries UCLA defensive coordinator Tom Bradley.

“He has a great knack for feeling where the lane is and taking off,” Bradley said. “He’s a bigger guy. He does a fine job of finding the sticks and getting the first down. He seems to know when to put [the ball] away when he doesn’t have what he wants to do.”

Liufau’s favorite target is Nelson Spruce, who has 51 receptions for 563 yards.

Michael Adkins II, who had 107 yards rushing against UCLA last season, will miss his sixth consecutive game because of a hamstring injury.

Whatchacallhim

As hard as it has been for opponents to stop UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen, it’s getting even harder for them to find new ways to praise him.

“We call him a freshman sensation,” MacIntyre said.

Rosen is coming off his biggest game. He completed a school-record 34 passes, for 399 yards and three touchdowns, against Cal.

chris.foster@latimes.com