NCAA Football Betting – Oregon vs. UCLA Odds
Carrie Stroup here with your NCAA Football betting and the Oregon vs. UCLA odds. Place your 1st bet at Sportsbook.ag here and receive your 2nd bet up to $100.
#12 OREGON DUCKS (4-1) at #18 UCLA BRUINS (4-1)
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Oregon -3, Total: 71
Opening Line & Total: Oregon –3, Total: 70
Two Pac-12 teams with playoff aspirations look to bounce back from surprising home losses as No. 12 Oregon travels to No. 18 UCLA on Saturday.
The Ducks are trying to shake off losing to Arizona 31-24 last Thursday night, and they have not lost consecutive games since November 15, 2007, when they ended up losing three straight games. Oregon has been very good after losing at home, going 20-6 ATS in such games. The UCLA loss was equally as stunning, as quarterback Brett Hundley was sacked 10 times in the 30-28 home defeat to Utah. Those 10 sacks were the highest number for any Division I quarterback in nearly two years.
Both of these teams have shown the ability to put up a lot of points, and if this turns into a shootout, the Bruins may be in good shape. UCLA is 17-6 ATS when scoring at least 28 points in the past three seasons, and is a perfect 7-0 ATS when scoring 35 or more points. This matchup of two teams that are relatively injury-free, could very easily could be an elimination game from the college football playoff.
The Ducks have beaten the Bruins five straight times by an average score of 41 to 18, but four of those games were in Eugene. However, in their past eight road games in this series since 1995, the Ducks are 5-3 SU and 6-2 ATS.
Oregon still has one of the best offenses in the country, as the unit ranks 9th in scoring (43.6 PPG), 16th in passing (324.4 YPG) and 35th in rushing (209 YPG). QB Marcus Mariota (1,411 pass yards, 71% completions, 15 TD) has still has not thrown an interception, and has shown he can still make plays with his legs (215 rush yards, 5.1 YPC, 3 TD). However, there are problems with the team and it starts with the offensive line. The unit had major problems blocking Arizona's front four, and Mariota was under pressure for most of the night. In the loss to the Wildcats, Mariota rushed for only one yard, which was 41 yards less than his next lowest output on the season. Freshman RB Royce Freeman (67 carries, 346 yards, 5.2 YPC, 5 TD) is the leading rusher on the team. This is another area where the struggles of the offensive line is hurting, as the Ducks are not getting the big plays that they are accustomed to getting.
While the rushing attack isn’t providing the team with the normal big plays, there are some playmakers at receiver. WR Devon Allen (19 catches, 377 yards, 6 TD) has shown that he is a threat to score every time he touches the ball, and WR Keanon Lowe (17 catches, 266 yards, 4 TD) is another guy that can get behind the defense for a touchdown. Oregon is currently averaging 14.9 yards per completion, which should force the Bruins to keep an extra defender playing deep. The defense has played well at times, but has made some crucial mistakes at the end of games. Last week, the unit appeared to be getting off the field late in the game, but an unsportsmanlike penalty gave the Wildcats a fresh set of downs. Sophomore DB Reggie Daniels (35 tackles, 1 INT, 1 FF) is the leading tackler on a defense that relies heavily on its speed.
Senior CB Erick Dargan (27 tackles, 3 INT, 1.5 TFL) has been very good for the Ducks this year, as opposing quarterbacks try and avoid throwing at CB Ife Ekpre-Olomu (26 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT). If those cornerbacks can do a good job of covering the Bruins wide receivers, then there should be opportunities for LB Tyson Coleman (13 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 2 sacks) and DL Arik Armsted (17 tackles, 4 TFL, 1 sack) to pressure QB Brett Hundley.
The Bruins had multiple opportunities to get the win against the Utes, but just could not finish it in the end. QB Brett Hundley (1,310 pass yards, 71% completions, 10.5 YPA, 9 TD, 2 INT) is very similar to Mariota, as he can also get out and do some things with his legs (122 rush yards, 2 TD). However, after leading the team in rushing last season, Hundley has stayed in the pocket much more this year. The 10 sacks last week by Utah was a combination of many things.
From the offensive line struggling, to wide receivers not getting open, to even Hundley holding the ball too long, everyone was at fault on the numbers of sacks. For the Bruins to get back on track, RB Paul Perkins (94 carries, 540 yards, 5.7 YPC, 3 TD) must give UCLA something from the running game. At wide receiver, Jordan Payton (31 catches, 491 yards, 3 TD) is Hundley's top target. Payton is a physical receiver that can also get behind his defender for the big play. Payton must do a better job of getting open against a tough Oregon secondary, as the Ducks may be blitzing after seeing the Utes performance last week. The Bruins defense has a lot of talent on it, led by LBs Eric Kendricks (58 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 INT) and Myles Jack (38 tackles, 3 pass breakups, 1 TFL). This is a unit that has a lot of speed, but at times, can over-pursue.
If the defense can stick to the fundamentals, then the unit has a good chance of at least containing the Ducks offense. Special teams also doomed the Bruins last week, as kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn missed not one, but two field goals at the end of the game that could have given UCLA the win. Oregon will score some points, so the Bruins can’t leave points on the field with missed field goals.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
