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The UCLA Bruins take on the Oregon Ducks. Check out our college football odds series for our UCLA Oregon prediction and pick.
The UCLA Bruins are one of the huge surprises of the college football season. Keep in mind the fact that they were in a very tight battle with South Alabama in Week 3 and were very fortunate to escape with a win in that game. When UCLA beat South Alabama by one point, it seemed that the Bruins were headed for another mediocre and disappointing season under coach Chip Kelly, who thrived at Oregon but had not been able to recapture that magic over the past several years at UCLA.
Over the past three weeks, the magic has returned.
UCLA scored 40 against Washington and then came up big with a 42-32 win over defending Pac-12 champion Utah. The Bruins won a statement game, the kind of game they had consistently lost over the past several years. Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson is playing at an elite level, performing brilliantly as both a passer and a runner while making very few mistakes and providing the leadership by example which galvanizes the UCLA locker room and makes life a lot easier for the Bruins' defense, which just has to make a few timely plays in order to win games. When the offense is humming like this, the margin for error dramatically increases, and UCLA becomes a very difficult team to beat. Thompson-Robinson is accompanied in the UCLA backfield by Zach Charbonnet, an imposing running back with equal portions of skill, speed and strength. UCLA has the best offensive backfield in the Pac-12, and that's a huge component to bring into any big game. This matchup of top-10 teams against Oregon definitely qualifies as a big game.
Oregon has rebounded brilliantly from its Week 1 wipeout loss at the hands of Georgia. Bo Nix has responded well at quarterback, rallying the Ducks from a 34-22 fourth-quarter deficit at Washington State and making UO unbeaten in Pac-12 play at the midpoint of the season. Oregon receiver Troy Franklin is part of a very fast and potent offense which is held together by a strong offensive line. Current Oregon coach Dan Lanning has been able to make great use of the offensive linemen he inherited from previous UO coach Mario Cristobal. The Ducks' offense has rounded into shape better than most people expected. However, this game against UCLA will require the Oregon offense to be at its very best. Even just one or two hiccups from Oregon could be enough for UCLA to take advantage in coach Chip Kelly's return to Autzen Stadium.
Here are the UCLA-Oregon NCAA Football Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: UCLA-Oregon Odds
UCLA Bruins: +6.5 (-110)
Oregon Ducks: -6.5 (-110)
Over: 70.5 (-110)
Under: 70.5 (-110)
Why UCLA Could Cover the Spread
The Bruins have the better quarterback and the better running back in this game. Chip Kelly's UCLA team looks like an imposing team. If the Bruins don't make significant mistakes, they are probably the better team.
Why Oregon Could Cover the Spread
The Bruins might be the better team if they don't make any big errors, but they are probably going to make several crucial mistakes. UCLA has played only one road game this season, at Colorado, a very bad team. The Bruins have not been tested on the road, and now they will jump into a hostile and loud Autzen Stadium. UCLA is not set up well in this game.
Final UCLA-Oregon Prediction & Pick
UCLA's lack of any road test or any truly hostile environment is going to show up in this game. The Bruins have great offensive players, but they are going to be rattled, and Oregon will take control in the second half.
Final UCLA-Oregon Prediction & Pick: Oregon -6.5
