Athlon Sports predicts UCLA-Iowa winner

Prediction time!

The UCLA Bruins host the Iowa Hawkeyes in a tough Big Ten Conference showdown on Friday night.

Iowa has six wins on the year, but UCLA has back-to-back victories over Rutgers and Nebraska and is trending in the right direction.

Ahead of the game, Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports revealed why UCLA could win and gave his prediction for the game.

“If UCLA is going to pull off the upset, Garbers has to be efficient and mistake-free through the air and continue to add a pop to the ground game. The senior rushed for 48 yards against Rutgers and chipped in 56 versus Nebraska. Iowa is stingy through the air, but Garbers has a handful of talented weapons to stretch the field, including running back T.J. Harden (27 catches), tight end Moliki Matavao (24), and receivers Kwazi Gilmer (16) and Logan Loya (20).”

Lassan Picks Iowa to Get the Win

At the end of it, Lassan is sticking with Iowa to get the win but admits UCLA will give the Hawkeyes a run for the money.

“UCLA is trending in the right direction with wins in back-to-back games, but Iowa’s rushing attack and defense is a tough matchup. Look for the Hawkeyes to control the pace of the game and the line of scrimmage, giving Ferentz’s team an ability to pull away in the second half for the win.”

Prediction: Iowa 27, UCLA 17