California Stronger Along the Lines for College Football over UCLA

Pac-10 play continues in Berkeley and the lines for college football show the Cal Bears a 7-point favorite over UCLA.

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Game Date/Time: Saturday, October 9th, 3:30 ET

Game Location: Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, CA

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UCLA Bruins vs. California Golden Bears

TV/Radio Broadcast: FOX, Sirius, XM

NCAA Football Odds

UCLA Bruins (+7.5) –110

California Golden Bears (-7.5) -110

Over/Under 48.5

UCLA (3-2) pulled a shocker two weeks ago by beating Texas in Austin 34-12 as a 16-point underdog. As should be expected, a letdown followed as they beat Washington State 42-28 last week but failed to cover the huge point spread.

Now UCLA travels to take on California (2-2) where the Bruins were beaten 41-20 two years ago and again last season in Los Angeles 45-26 while allowing a season-high 494 yards to the Bears. The lines for college football are mostly competitive in Pac-10 contests but the last two meetings have been Golden for the Bears.

UCLA has gone to the ‘pistol’ approach on offense this season under offensive coordinator and mastermind Norm Chow. After starting 0-2 the Bruins are back on track with three straight wins including a pair of outright underdog victories.

The lines for college football show that UCLA has really struggled to score on the Pac-10 road under third year coach Rick Neuheisel. Only once has UCLA scored more than 27 points on the road and that was against one of the worst teams in the country last year, Washington State.

The Bruins have relied on a solid ground game the past three contests while averaging 322 yards per game led by sophomore running back Johnathan Franklin. Freshman quarterback Richard Brehaut started last week, but sophomore signal caller Kevin Prince will be back taking snaps as the starter this week after missing last game with a swollen knee.

The lines for college football are not always accurate in grading injuries, but Prince playing this week is important if UCLA plans on pulling the upset. Still, the Bruins will likely struggle in the passing game as their top target will miss this contest and UCLA averages a miniscule 3.6 yards per pass play.

Nelson Rosario led the team in receiving last year with 723 yards and over 17 yards per reception. He has been their top receiver again this season with just 14 catches but is out with a sprained ankle.

California enters fresh off a well-needed bye after losing back to back games to top-25 teams, including a last-minute heartbreaker at Arizona two weeks ago 10-9. The Bears did face another opponent that runs the ‘pistol’ offense and were throttled at Nevada 52-31.

But the stats and lines for college football show that UCLA is far less efficient running the ‘regulator’ and Cal will be better prepared with the extra week to study the ‘pistol’ offense. Cal will also have their star senior linebacker and first team Pac-10 performer Mike Mohamed back for this contest.

That should prove problematic for the Bruins after Cal’s defense was so solid against a stronger Arizona team last game. UCLA has one of the nations top place kickers in senior Kai Forbath, but they’ll need touchdowns against Cal and the Bears are more efficient and capable of winning in this spot by double-digits.

NCAA Insider Tip: UCLA is just 1-5 ATS their last six visits to Berkeley and 3-7 ATS its L/10 tries as a road underdog. The home team has won nine of the L/10 meetings of this rivalry SU, and Cal sports an 8-2 ATS mark the L/10 times the lines for college football installed it a favorite in the 3.5-10 point range at home.

My NCAA Football Predictions: California Golden Bears (-7.5) -110

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