The California Golden Bears (1-4, 0-2 Pac 12) visit the 10th-ranked Oregon Ducks (4-1, 1-1) Friday for a 10:30 p.m. ET kickoff (ESPN) at Autzen Stadium. Below, we look at the California vs. Oregon odds and lines, and make our expert college football picks, predictions and bets.
Both teams are coming off bye weeks. The Golden Bears are on a two-game skid, dropping back-to-back conference games. They were upset at home by Washington State 21-6 as 7.5-point favorites Oct. 2 and lost at Washington 31-24 in overtime, covering as 7.5-point underdogs Sept. 25.
The Ducks will be chomping at the bit as they had to wait an extra week to play again after suffering their first loss of the season. They were upset by Stanford 31-24 in overtime as 8.5-point road favorites Oct. 2.
Making matters worse, they lost RB C.J. Verdell (team-high 406 rushing yards, 6 TDs) and S Bennett Williams (3 interceptions, 16 solo tackles) to season-ending leg injuries and DE Kayvon Thibodeaux has to sit the first half because of a targeting penalty in the last game.
Rankings courtesy of the AFCA Coaches Poll powered by USA Today Sports.
California at Oregon odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 8 a.m. ET.
- Money line: California +420 (bet $100 to win $420) | Oregon -600 (bet $600 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): California +13.5 (-110) | Oregon -13.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 53.5 (O: -112 | U: -108)
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California at Oregon odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Oregon 30, California 20
Money line
PASS. The Ducks (-600) were upset as 9-point favorites 21-17 at the Golden Bears last season. Oregon will avenge the loss, but risking 6 times your potential return is not worth the risk.
Against the spread
CALIFORNIA +13.5 (-110) is the STRONGEST PLAY – 1½ times your usual wager.
ATS records: California 2-3 | Oregon 1-4
The Bears are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 games as road underdogs. The Ducks are 0-7 in their last seven games as favorites.
With Verdell out, it will take time for the Ducks to get the running game going. Plus, their air attack is average at best – QB Anthony Brown ranks eighth in the Pac-12 at 190.0 passing yards per game.
Over/Under
BET UNDER 53.5 (-108) to WIN 0.75 UNITS.
ATS records: California 3-2 | Oregon 2-3
Look for Oregon’s 35.8 PPG average to decline with Verdell done for the season, while Cal averages 24.2 points per game.
The past two games in this series cashed Under tickets. Expect the same Friday night.
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.
JOHNNY’S RECORD | W-L | SP | ROI |
SINCE JULY 8 | 56-37 | 24-11 | +18.566 |
*–SP: Strongest plays; ROI: Return on investment |
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