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UCLA's Fauria Calls Out ASU's Burfict

(CBS) -- Even though the Bruins are double-digit underdogs against #18 Arizona State on Saturday night at the Rose Bowl, UCLA remains extremely confident in their game against the Sun Devils.

Bruins TE Joseph Fauria is now following in the footsteps of Matt Barkley in stirring up the former Corona Centennial star LB at ASU, from Tom Fornelli CBSSports.com blog:

You may remember in September when USC quarterback Matt Barkley called Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict a dirty player. Burfict responded to this by going out and having a great game against USC, helping the Sun Devils defeat the Trojans 43-22.

Well, this cautionary tale did nothing to stop Fauria from punching the bear in the face.

"He's another guy," Fauria told the Orange County Register. "I played him in high school, I don't think he's anything special at all.

"I'm not going to pump him up too much. His game is more of a mind game. I'm not going to knock him, he's a great player. He's led his team, his defense to some good wins and the top of the Pac-12 South. But on Saturday, he's just No. 7."

I do enjoy the part of the quote where Fauria seems to realize what he's done. After saying Burfict is just "another guy" and isn't "anything special at all," he says he's "not going to knock him" and that he's "a great player." This is like commending the bear for knowing how to take a punch after you've already thrown it.

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