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It is time to continue our college football odds series with a Minnesota UCLA prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Minnesota UCLA.
The UCLA Bruins' most important game in every college football season is their Los Angeles rivalry game against city neighbor USC. However, this game right here against Minnesota is a hugely significant moment for first-year head coach DeShaun Foster. If UCLA does not win this game, the Bruins are extremely likely to lose at least 10 games this year. If you look at the remainder of the UCLA schedule after this game, it is going to be hard to find more than one win on the slate in the Big Ten. UCLA has just one win — over a relatively weak Hawaii team — and got thrashed by 29 points at home against Indiana. The weaknesses and limitations of this football program have been laid bare, and the margin for error is virtually nonexistent for the Bruins. They simply can't afford to make any mistakes; whenever they do make mistakes, they get punished, and they don't have the offensive firepower to compensate once they fall behind by seven, 10, or more points.
Minnesota comes to the West Coast one week after beating USC. The Golden Gophers trailed 17-10 early in the fourth quarter but then gained a crucial interception when USC was driving to create a two-score lead. The Gophers tied the game at 17 and then won 24-17 on a touchdown scored in the final minute. Minnesota was outplayed in the third quarter but was able to respond in the fourth, in a show of considerable resilience and toughness. It was the kind of breakthrough win coach PJ Fleck needed to revive his tenure with the Gophers. Let's now see if Minnesota can build on that win and beat the other Los Angeles school. The Gophers are expected to win here; losing would undo much of the good work Minnesota did against USC.
Here are the Minnesota-UCLA College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Minnesota-UCLA Odds
Minnesota: -5.5 (-115)
Moneyline: -215
UCLA: +5.5 (-105)
Moneyline: +176
Over: 40.5 (-110)
Under: 40.5 (-110)
How to Watch Minnesota vs UCLA
Time: 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT
TV: Big Ten Network
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Minnesota Could Cover The Spread/Win
UCLA is terrible. That's the first and most central point here. You might be skeptical of Minnesota as a team, but you should be even more skeptical of UCLA. The Bruins do not have elite offensive playmakers. They are not highly skilled. UCLA has trouble throwing the ball down the field and stretching defenses. Opposing teams focus on stopping the run and short passes, and the Bruins haven't really had an answer for that larger reality. UCLA plays with great effort, but the Bruins don't have the weapons to scare their opponents. Minnesota defeated a USC team which has a lot of offensive talent. If the Gophers could hold the Trojans to 17 points, they should hold UCLA to no more than 14 points, possibly only 10 or even seven. If Minnesota holds UCLA to 10 points, it needs to score just 16 points to cover the spread. That seems like a good bet to make.
Why UCLA Could Cover The Spread/Win
Minnesota played an emotionally draining game against USC and now has to fly across the country. Teams in the Big Ten which have had to cross at least two time zones are 1-7 so far this season. That's an amazing statistic, but also a reflection of how long-distance travel is a genuine factor in the new and geographically expanded Big Ten. Minnesota could play a travel-fatigued game, and that will give UCLA the opening it needs for a big win.
Final Minnesota-UCLA Prediction & Pick
We are leaning to Minnesota but don't think trusting the Gophers is worth your money. Stay away from this game.
Final Minnesota-UCLA Prediction & Pick: Minnesota -5.5
