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PASADENA, Calif. -- UCLA coach Jim Mora said he has been pleased by his defenses ability to contain the guy that can hurt you most this season.He also recognizes that Arizona quarterback Brandon Dawkins will present a different kind of challenge Saturday.Dawkins is averaging 130.3 yards rushing per game, second only to Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey in the Pac-12, and his seven rushing touchdowns are one more than the entire UCLA ground game has produced through four games.We have to stop him as a runner first, because he can really, really hurt you that way, Mora said.Dawkins had to become the main ball carrier in coach Rich Rodriguezs spread-option offense because of injuries that have depleted the Wildcats skill positions. Quarterback Anu Solomon has missed the last three games with a knee injury, while running back Nick Wilson is questionable to play against the Bruins with an ankle injury.Promising freshman J.J. Taylor suffered a broken ankle against No. 10 Washington, and the depth at running back is so limited that senior receiver Samajie Grant practiced there this week.Just because Dawkins is the focal point of Arizonas offense doesnt mean he is easy to stop. The redshirt sophomore had 176 yards rushing against the Huskies touted defense, including a 79-yard scoring run. Mora compared Dawkins to a less-experienced but more explosive version of BYU quarterback Taysom Hill.This kid has lightning speed, Mora said. He is really, really, really fast, and he doesnt need a lot of room to get through. He is big and physical enough to break arm tackles.UCLA limited Hill to minus-7 yards rushing on 10 carries and sacked him four times in a 17-14 win, as the run defense delivered its best performance of the season. After holding McCaffrey to a relatively modest 138 yards rushing last week, UCLA defensive lineman Jacob Tuioti-Mariner credited defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes and ends Takkarist McKinley and Deon Hollins with providing leadership to turn around a group that struggled badly last season, including allowing Arizona to rush for 353 yards.They are impact players, and just having them back brings more confidence in the defense, Tuioti-Mariner said. Having those specific guys on the field brings the intensity and everything.Here are some things to know before the Bruins host the Wildcats:SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES: UCLA and Arizona have identical 2-2 records, 0-1 in Pac-12 play. Both teams have lost in overtime to teams currently ranked in the Top 10, UCLA dropping a 31-24 decision at Texas A&M in the season opener and Arizona falling 35-28 to Washington last week at home. And both teams are using their performances in the first month of the season to stay upbeat about their long-term prospects.Said Arizona linebacker Paul Magloire: Were not that many points away from winning all four games.I think we have a chance to do something special this year, Mora said. Its been made more difficult, obviously, by losing the other night (to Stanford), but were still on track.DREAD OCTOBER: UCLA has lost its first game in October in three of four seasons under Mora, including defeats at the Rose Bowl in each of the last two seasons. UCLA was ranked No. 7 in the nation before a 38-23 loss to unranked Arizona State last season, while Utah dealt the 8th-ranked Bruins a 30-28 defeat in 2014.INJURY ISSUES: UCLA defensive lineman Eli Ankou (elbow) is touch and go, Mora said. Arizona linebacker DeAndre Miller (ankle) and receiver Shawn Poindexter (foot) were both ruled out Thursday.GRASS STAINS: The grass at the Rose Bowl is regarded as one of the best and most picturesque playing fields in college football, but Arizona probably wouldnt complain if it was replaced with an artificial surface this week. Arizona is 2-11 playing on grass under Rodriguez, including the 18-16 loss to BYU at University of Phoenix Stadium in the season opener. Both wins came at Colorado.---AP college football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org Custom Portland Trail Blazers Jerseys . -- Vincent Lecavalier got everything but the desired result in his return to Tampa Bay. Jusuf Nurkic Blazers Jersey . They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. http://www.blazersteamofficial.com/Terry-Porter-Blazers-Jersey/ . The return match will take place next Wednesday. Udinese leads Fiorentina 2-1 in the other semifinal. Napoli staged a second-half comeback from two goals down after Gervinhos opener and a stunning strike from Kevin Strootman. Anfernee Simons Blazers Jersey . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. Portland Trail Blazers Jerseys . -- Stanford squashed Oregons national championship hopes again, schooling the Ducks in power football. COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Missouri has a rich history when it comes to the tight end position.From the days of Kellen Winslow, a consensus all-American taken 13th overall in the 1979 NFL draft, to more recent draft picks like Chase Coffman and Michael Egnew, some of Missouris greatest pass-catchers have been tight ends. The latest crop wants to restore some luster to the position.We all want to be great, sophomore Kendall Blanton said. I want to be one of the best tight ends in the nation if not the best tight end in the nation. Our tight end group as a whole ... we all are pushing each other.It would appear the pushing has paid off and the position is a bright spot in a down year for Missouri (2-5, 0-3 SEC), which hosts Kentucky (4-3, 3-2) on Saturday.In 2014, Missouri tight ends caught 21 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown. Last season, tight ends combined for 33 catches, 279 yards and a touchdown.This season has been even better: Tight ends Sean Culkin, Jason Reese, Tyler Hanneke and Blanton have combined for 28 catches totaling 321 yards and four scores, 25 percent of the Tigers receiving touchdowns.Reese, who has eight catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns in five starts, attributed his improvement to his confidence level.If I know what the defense is doing and Im fully confident in what I know I can do, then thats just going to make my game excel, he said.Blantons confidence apppears to be growing, too.ddddddddddddIn the 51-45 loss to Middle Tennessee State last Saturday, Blanton turned heads at Faurot Field with a diving, one-handed touchdown catch. His 6-foot-7, 260-pound frame was fully extended and he maintained possession as he hit the turf, giving the Tigers a 14-13 lead late in the first quarter.It was an awesome play he had, Culkin said of the 15-yard score. Its awesome to see a guy just develop. Hes got a lot of raw talent thats starting to be seen on Saturdays.Missouri coach Barry Odom joked that Blanton possesses the stature of an offensive lineman, but is pleased with his production at tight end.I think hes been a huge upside, Odom said. Hes 6-7 and hes got great skills. Hes gotten a lot better over the past couple months.Blanton has eight catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns.As you can see, hes a physical specimen, Reese said of Blanton. That guy has been great since the day he stepped on campus. Hes been focused. Hes been waiting for his chance. I knew once his chance came, he wasnt going to let that go to waste.Reese sustained a rib injury against Middle Tennessee State, and his status for the game against Kentucky remains unknown. If he is unable to play, look for Blanton and Culkin to pick up the slack. ' ' '