Nebraska @ UCLA preview

Nebraska could have a big hole to fill on offense Saturday if senior running back Rex Burkhead is unable to play against UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Burkhead, who rushed for 1,357 yards and 15 touchdowns while earning first-team All Big Ten honors last season, suffered a sprained left knee last week in the No. 14 Cornhuskers' 49-20 victory against Southern Mississippi and is questionable. Ameer Abdullah would likely fill in for Burkhead, who had a 57-yard touchdown run among his three carries against Southern Mississippi. UCLA will counter with running back Johnathan Franklin, who totaled 214 rushing yards in a 49-24 victory at Rice on Aug. 30.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Fox. LINE: UCLA -5

ABOUT NEBRASKA (1-0): Quarterback Taylor Martinez, who played high school football about 50 miles away in Corona, will be appearing in only the second game of his college career in his home state. He played his only other college game in California in the 2010 Holiday Bowl against Washington. Martinez completed 26 of 34 passes for a career-high 354 yards and five touchdowns against Southern Mississippi, completing passes to 10 different receivers. Abdullah rushed for 81 yards and caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Martinez after Burkhead left with the injury.

ABOUT UCLA (1-0): Franklin, who was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week, scampered for touchdown runs 74 and 78 yards, and freshman quarterback Brett Hundley had a 72-yard touchdown run on his first snap. UCLA had only one play of more than 70 yards all last season. Anthony Barr is coming off a solid game in his college debut at outside linebacker. Barr, who played Y-back on offense his first two years at UCLA, contributed six solo tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss against Rice. Barr and the rest of the UCLA defenders seemed to get more comfortable as the game moved along, keeping the Owls off the scoreboard in the second half.

EXTRA POINTS

1. UCLA kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn put in extra practice this week after three of his extra points were blocked by Cameron Nwosu, setting an NCAA record for the Rice linebacker.

2. Nebraska last played UCLA at the Rose Bowl in 1993, scoring midway through the third quarter to pull out a 14-13 victory. Nebraska freshman running back Lawrence Phillips replaced starter Damon Benning in the first half of that game and rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown.

3. The Cornhuskers are expected to be without senior wide receiver and return man Tim Marlowe, who suffered a broken clavicle against Southern Mississippi, according to reports.

PREDICTION: Nebraska 34, UCLA 19