The No. 18 UCLA Bruins (8-3, 5-3 Pac-12) visit Berkley to take on the Cal Golden Bears (4-7, 2-6) Friday at 4:30 p.m. ET (FOX). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the UCLA vs. Cal odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.
UCLA is coming off a 48-45 home loss to rival USC last weekend. The Bruins, who were No. 16 before the defeat, were 2-point underdogs to the then-No. 6, now-No. 5 Trojans.
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UCLA scored the first 2 TDs and led 24-20 early in the 3rd quarter before USC took over. Bruins QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw for 309 yards with 4 TDs — and 3 INTS — while running for 81 yards with 2 more scores. The loss squashed the Bruins’ hopes of making the Pac-12 title game as they dropped a 2nd game in a row. UCLA will want to finish the season on a high note with a victory here against struggling Cal.
The Golden Bears snapped a 6-game skid with a 27-20 home victory as 5-point favorites vs. Stanford last weekend in The Big Game rivalry. The win came after coach Justin Wilcox fired the offensive coordinator and the offensive line coach. However, at 4-7 Cal won’t be going bowling, so this will be their final game of the season. Cal averages only 23.5 points per game and is the only team to lose to Colorado (1-10).
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UCLA at Cal odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 3:06 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): UCLA -370 (bet $370 to win $100) | Cal +290 (bet $100 to win $290)
- Against the spread (ATS): UCLA -10 (-111) | Cal +10 (-109)
- Over/Under (O/U): 60.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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UCLA at Cal picks and predictions
Prediction
UCLA 42, Cal 24
Moneyline
PASS.
UCLA (-370) wins here, but it’s not worth risking 3.7 times your potential profit. I could see including the Bruins in a multi-team parlay, however.
Against the spread
BET UCLA -10 (-111).
UCLA, despite its recent struggles is the better team. Cal has struggled in scoring all season and this will not be good against a UCLA team, which has averaged 40.0 points per game and 504.9 yards per game — ranking 5th and 6th in the country, respectively.
With the Bears only averaging 23.5 PPG, they will not be able to keep up with coach Chip Kelly’s offensive attack.
UCLA -10 (-111) is my FAVORITE PLAY.
Over/Under
BET OVER 60.5 (-110).
Cal will not score enough to win, but it will score. UCLA’s defense ranks 90th when it comes to points allowed at 28.4 PPG. The Bruins gave up 34 points to Arizona the week before allowing 48 to USC.
While Cal does not have the offense of USC, it will still get to 20, while Thompson-Robinson and UCLA should score 40-plus, sending this game OVER 60.5 (-110).
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