It’s a battle of two former Pac-12 teams as Oregon faces UCLA this week at the Rose Bowl. We’re live from Southern California, sharing our college football odds series and making an Oregon-UCLA prediction and pick.
Oregon defeated Oregon State 49-14 last weekend. Ultimately, they led 22-14 at halftime. But a second-half surge changed things and brought down the hammer for the Ducks. Dillon Gabriel passed for 291 yards and two touchdowns while rushing four times for 64 yards and a score. Meanwhile, Jordan James rushed 12 times for 86 yards and two touchdowns. Noah Whittington ran seven times for 64 yards.
The offense finished with 26 first downs and went 4 for 6 on third downs, for a total of 546 yards. The Ducks did not allow a single turnover or sack, and while it could not force a turnover, it still garnered two sacks.
UCLA lost 34-17 to LSU. Initially, they led 10-7 after the first, and it was 17-17 at the half. But they fell apart in the second half. Substantially, Ethan Garbers went 22 for 36 with 281 yards passing, with two touchdowns and one interception. Keegan Jones rushed just three times for 22 yards while catching three passes for 50 yards. Additionally, Kwazi Gilmer had two catches for 61 yards.
The Bruins finished with 17 first downs. Furthermore, they went 5 for 12 on third downs. UCLA also finished with 295 total yards. Likewise, they had two turnovers and allowed five sacks. The Bruins also could not force a single turnover or sack.
UCLA leads the head-to-head series 40-31. Yet, Oregon won the last battle 45-30 on October 22, 2022, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.
Here are the College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Oregon-UCLA Odds
Oregon: -25.5 (-108)
Moneyline: -4500
UCLA: +25.5 (-112)
Moneyline: +1600
Over: 55.5 (-105)
Under: 55.5 (-115)
How to Watch Oregon vs. UCLA
Time: 11 PM ET/8 PM PT
TV: FOX
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Oregon Could Cover The Spread/Win
Oregon may get healthy through the trenches again, which could greatly boost an offense that has managed to do well despite injuries. The Ducks need more from their offense and need to continue being consistent.
Gabriel has been electric, passing for 914 yards and six touchdowns. Now, he hopes to keep the momentum going against a shaky defense. James has remained one of the best running backs in college football. So far, he has rushed 44 times for 283 yards and three touchdowns. Whittington has also been solid, running 27 times for 118 yards and one touchdown.
Tez Johnson has been a great receiver, with 22 catches for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Likewise, Terrance Ferguson has 13 catches for 159 yards. Traeshon Holden has 10 receptions for 154 yards and two touchdowns.
The Ducks’ defense has been decent enough to help them win games. Overall, they have two players who can make moves. Matayo Uiagalelei has tallied four solo tackles and two sacks, and Derrick Harmon has added five solo tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Oregon will cover the spread if Gabriel and James can continue playing at an elite level. Then, the defense must stop T.J. Harden from running the ball and put all the pressure on Garbers.
Why UCLA Could Cover The Spread/Win
UCLA has some issues they must address. Unfortunately, the problems keep growing as they come into this one as heavy underdogs. The Bruins need more consistency from the offense.
Garbers has not been good. So far, he has passed for 690 yards, three touchdowns, and four interceptions. Harden has been inconsistent. Unfortunately, he has only rushed 28 times for 72 yards and one touchdown while catching 12 passes for 84 yards. Rico Flores Jr. has been the best receiver on this offense. Ultimately, he has caught nine passes for 160 yards. Moliki Matavoia has caught seven passes for 85 yards.
The Bruins may be struggling as a defense. Regardless, they still have four sacks as a team. Cornerback Ramon Henderson has been the best player in this unit. So far, he has added eight solo tackles, one sack, and one interception. Kaid Medrano has been the best tackler on the field, garnering 12 solo tackles.
UCLA will cover the spread if Harden can find some run to run and get 100 yards to chew up the clock and keep the Oregon offense off the field. Then, the Bruins must stop the run and force Gabriel into making mistakes.
Final Oregon-UCLA Prediction & Pick
Oregon is 1-2 against the spread, while UCLA is also 1-2. Moreover, Oregon is 1-0 against the spread on the road, while UCLA is 0-1 against the spread at home. Oregon is the better team. Yet, I don’t feel as confident with them with this spread. The Bruins are not the greatest team. But they should be good enough to at least compete at home. Therefore, I expect them to put up a fight and cover the spread.
Final Oregon-UCLA Prediction & Pick: UCLA +25.5 (-112)
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