The UCLA Bruins were the preseason favorites in college football betting to win the Pac-12 South Division this season. But that’s not likely to happen if the Bruins lose a second conference game already on Saturday when they host Arizona.
How to Bet on the Arizona at UCLA Free Pick, Odds & TV Info
The Wildcats (2-2) lost 35-28 in overtime last week to Washington, perhaps the best team in the Pac-12 North. Sophomore Brandon Dawkins rushed for 176 yards and threw for 167 more, but he and the Wildcats fell just short of a Top-10 upset to start Pac-12 play. Washington’s Jake Browning hit Dante Pettis on a 4-yard touchdown in overtime. Arizona was down to its fourth-string running back after J.J. Taylor left in the third quarter with a left ankle injury. Starter Nick Wilson missed the game injured.Dawkins had a 79-yard touchdown rush, the longest run by an Arizona quarterback since at least 1997. Jerrard Randall held the previous high with a 73-yard score last season against Northern Arizona. The Wildcats have now had a player rush for 100 or more yards in a game 51 times since coach Rich Rodriguez took over in 2012. Senior receiver Nate Phillips had two catches for five yards on Saturday. He had a one-yard catch on Arizona’s first drive of the game, extending Phillips’ consecutive games with a reception to 37 games. He’s tied with Virginia’s Taquan Mizzell for the longest active streak by a receiver in a Power 5 conference Arizona is now 47-111- 1 all-time against teams ranked in the AP Top 25. Washington entered the matchup ranked No. 9. The Wildcats dropped to 7-13 against ranked teams under coach Rich Rodriguez and 5-4 at Arizona Stadium.
Why Bet on UCLA?
The Bruins (2-2) lost a crusher last week 22-13 at home to Stanford. Trailing 13-9 late in the fourth quarter, Stanford claimed a 16-13 lead on its final offensive drive. Quarterback Ryan Burns threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to JJ Arcega-Whiteside with 24 seconds to play in regulation. UCLA regained possession with 20 seconds to play from its own 24-yard line.After a 24-yard completion to the Bruins’ 47-yard line, UCLA had one last chance for a potential game-winning play. With four seconds left, Stanford’s Joey Alfieri stripped UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen.Stanford defensive lineman Solomon Thomas recovered the loose ball, running 58 yards and into the Cardinal’s end zone for a touchdown. UCLA’s Rosen completed 18 of 27 passes for 248 yards and one touchdown, distributing the ball to nine different receivers. Rosen moved past Wayne Cook (1991-94) into eighth on UCLA’s career passing yardage list with 4,833.Bruins coach Jim Mora pledged Monday to tighten the rotation at running back and receiver after a review of UCLA’s loss to Stanford showed his team squandered “probably a hundred” yards in the running game.“There were some enormous holes that were not hit,” said Mora, whose team generated only 77 yards rushing and also was beset by two dropped passes in the third quarter. “We’re going to start dialing it back on how many guys we play at running back and receiver and get specific guys in there for specific things.”The Bruins lead the series with Arizona 23-15- 2 and have won the last four meetings. Arizona has turned the ball over at least once in each of those contests, losing the turnover battle 9-2. Last season, Rosen threw for 284 yards while accounting for three touchdowns in his first Pac-12 road game. UCLA turned three Arizona turnovers into touchdowns as they built a 28-point first half lead. The defense gave up an early 34-yard touchdown pass but it was all Bruins after that.
My Free Pick
Favorite is 8-1 ATS in their last 9 meetings.Home team is 9-4 ATS in their last 13 meetings.Wildcats are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 meetings.Take UCLA and the over in NCAA football odds.
