Sammy Arnold and Luke Marshall will start in midfield together for the first time, with Craig Gilroy, Jacob Stockdale and Stuart Olding continuing in the back three.
John Andrew, who made his first Ulster start on Sunday, is retained at hooker and is joined in the front row by props Callum Black and Bronson Ross. Pete Browne and Franco van der Merwe will combine in the second row.
Nick Williams returns from injury to start at number 8, with Robbie Diack and Chris Henry operating as the other loose forwards.
Jonny Murphy, a debutant in last week's match against Cardiff, is in line to add a second cap after being named on the bench. Ricky Lutton and Sean Reidy, who both signed contract extensions earlier this week, are also included on the bench along with fellow forwards Kyle McCall and Roger Wilson, who celebrated his 200th cap last time out.
The backline replacements are Paul Marshall, Darren Cave and Rory Scholes.
Ulster team and replacements to play Cardiff Blues, Guinness PRO12, BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park, Sunday 28th February, 2.30pm:
(15-9): S Olding, C Gilroy, L Marshall, S Arnold, J Stockdale, P Jackson (captain), R Pienaar;
(1-8): C Black, J Andrew, B Ross, P Browne, F van der Merwe, R Diack, C Henry, N Williams;
Replacements (16-23): J Murphy, K McCall, R Lutton, R Wilson, S Reidy, P Marshall, D Cave, R Scholes.
Unavailable for selection (international duty):
Rory Best, Stuart McCloskey, Jared Payne, Andrew Trimble.
Unavailable for selection (injury):
Tommy Bowe (knee), Willie Faloon (foot), Iain Henderson (hamstring), Ian Humphreys (hip), Wiehahn Herbst (great toe), Rob Herring (hamstring), Louis Ludik (thigh), Peter Nelson (foot), Alan O'Connor (viral infection), Dan Tuohy (ankle).
Upcoming PRO12 games at Kingspan Stadium:
Ulster v Zebre
Friday 4th March, 7.35pm
Ulster v Connacht
Friday 1st April, 7.35pm
Ulster v Leinster
Saturday 30th April, 3.00pm
Guinness PRO12 Ulster News
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