The Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl is Friday afternoon in El Paso, Texas, and features the Pitt Panthers (8-4) and UCLA Bruins (9-3). Kickoff is at 2 p.m. ET (CBS). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Pitt vs. UCLA odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.
Pitt closed the season on a 4-game winning streak and went 5-3 in ACC play. They averaged 30.8 points per game.
No. 18 UCLA went 6-3 in Pac-12 play, but finished the season losing 2 of their final 3 games. They had the No. 3 offense in the nation (507.8 yards per game) and were 9th in points scored at 39.6 per game.
Rankings courtesy of AFCA Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY sports
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Pitt vs. UCLA odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 12:03 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Pitt +230 (bet $100 to win $230 | UCLA -290 (bet $290 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Pitt +7 (-108) | UCLA -7 (-112)
- Over/Under (O/U): 54 (O: -109 | U: -111)
Pitt vs. UCLA picks and predictions
Prediction
UCLA 34, Pitt 24
Moneyline
UCLA is expected to have QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson and RB Zach Charbonnet playing in the game, which will fuel the high-powered Bruins offense that scored 40 or more points 7 times.
Pitt lost QB Kedon Slovis to the transfer portal and RB Israel Abaniknada opted out of the game to prepare for the NFL Draft. Pitt will go with shared time at quarterback with Nick Patti and Nick Yarnell.
With UCLA’s top players in the lineup and Pitt’s not, expect a Bruins win, but don’t bet the moneyline with the line priced the way it is.
PASS.
Against the spread
Seven of the Bruins’ 9 wins this season were by double digits while Pitt’s last 2 losses were by at least 14 points.
BET UCLA -7 (-112).
Over/Under
Only 1 of UCLA’s last 8 games did not reach a total of 54 points. Three of Pitt’s final 5 games reached 54 or more total points.
BET OVER 54 (-109).
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