UCLA vs. Arizona State: College football betting picks, odds and analysis
UCLA hosts Arizona State at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in a matchup of 3-1 teams trying to put themselves in contention for a conference title run.
Las Vegas oddsmakers have the Bruins as three-point home favorites. VSiN’s Adam Kramer wrote of this game in Point Spread Weekly: “The slate of [college football] games is truly an all-weekend event, and this Pac-12 doozy will take us deep into Saturday evening. UCLA recovered from its Fresno State undoing with a win (and cover) over Stanford on Saturday. It wasn’t domination from the Bruins, but it was the kind of win as a short favorite to help get the season back in check.â€
VSiN’s Matt Youmans makes a case for UCLA.
Arizona State Sun Devils at UCLA Bruins (-3, 55.5)
Assuming quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson is good to go despite a sore shoulder, UCLA will go off as at least a three-point favorite against Arizona State at the Rose Bowl.
Thompson-Robinson passed for 251 yards and accounted for four touchdowns (two passing, two rushing) in the Bruins’ 35-24 win at Stanford. Thompson-Robinson showed signs of his shoulder injury after throwing a tiebreaking 75-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter. UCLA rolled up 204 rushing yards, including Zach Charbonnet’s 118 in 23 carries, against an injury-depleted Cardinal defense. It was a big step in the right direction for the Bruins, who bounced back from a stunning loss to Fresno State.
The UCLA defense still shows holes, and Sun Devils quarterback Jayden Daniels has the talent to make the Bruins pay for their shortcomings. Daniels passed for 236 yards and ran for two touchdowns in a 35-13 victory over Colorado to open conference play. The Sun Devils rebounded from a loss at BYU.
UCLA coach Chip Kelly has won two in a row against Arizona State, including a 25-18 decision last year in Tempe. If Thompson-Robinson is healthy (and he was listed as “probable†as of Thursday night), the Bruins should be able to handle the Sun Devils, who are playing below expectations and have unimpressive wins against three weak opponents.
UCLA and Arizona State could provide an offensive showcase that might make for another exciting late-night Pac-12 matchup.
Arizona State has the better defense in this matchup, but coach Herm Edwards’ offense is not lighting it up as anticipated. Daniels has only two touchdown passes in four games. With USC in the tank and Utah slumping, the winner of this game will have the inside track in the Pac-12 South race.
Pick: UCLA -3
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UCLA lineman Jon Gaines II and his teammate hope their success helps his father secure a hard-to-find kidney donor that would massively improve his life.
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