USC vs UCLA betting - USC looking to wrap up Rose Bowl bid
Posted on 12/1/2008 4:23:28 PM
By Blake Frazier
USC vs UCLA betting: Trojans fighting for yet another Rose Bowl berth
-
WHO: USC Trojans at UCLA Bruins
-
WHAT: NCAA football betting
-
WHEN: Saturday, December 6 at 1:00 p.m. ET
-
WHERE: Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA
-
KEY STATS: USC has won eight of its last nine meetings with UCLA
-
PICK: USC
USC vs UCLA odds this Sunday may mark the first of two consecutive playing weeks that the Trojans suit up in Rose Bowl Stadium. Since both Alabama and Oklahoma won their final regular season games, USC’s hopes for a BCS Championship Game berth are futile. As a consolation prize, the Trojans can all but lock up an appearance in the Rose Bowl against Penn State with a victory over UCLA.
However, UCLA has crashed USC’s BCS party in the past—as recently as 2006, when the Bruins upset the undefeated Trojans in the final game of the year. Oddsmakers haven’t given history much consideration though, as the Bruins are being listed as 30.5 point underdogs on the USC vs UCLA line to open the week.
While the UCLA has been a BCS series contender in recent years, its football program has taken a serious step back in 2008, which explains the monstrous USC vs UCLA spread. The Bruins sit at 4-7, out of bowl contention, and can only now hope to spoil the fun for their cross-town rivals. UCLA has nobody to blame but itself after an embarrassing loss to unranked Arizona State last week, during which it surrendered four defensive touchdowns and managed just 122 total yards of offense on the day.
Meanwhile, USC made a rather emphatic statement against another arch-rival, Notre Dame, last week. The Trojans held the Fighting Irish to just 91 total yards in a 38-3 massacre in Los Angeles, covering a 33.5 point NCAA football spread.
Quarterback Mark Sanchez proved he’s come full-circle after a rocky start to the season, which included a loss at Oregon State, and is now a top-tier college pivot. The talented junior has distributed 28 touchdown passes on the season and just nine interceptions in eleven games.
NCAA football odds don’t just favor the road Trojans because of their explosive offense, however. USC’s defense is one of the best in the nation, compiling three shutouts and a trio of games in which they have allowed only a field goal. The erratic UCLA offense has only scored more than 30 points once this year, in a loss to Fresno State. Looking at the statistics, the NCAA football lines seem more than fair this week.
BLAKE’S PICK: this seems like one of the easier NCAA football picks of the week in what is literally a battle of teams moving in completely different directions. Even if the rivalry were a great equalizer in terms of skill, USC still has more at stake in this game than the lowly Bruins. When making your USC vs UCLA pick, bet on the Trojans.
Want more NCAA football betting analysis? Check out The Betting Edge regularly for USC vs UCLA betting and extensive Bowl Game handicapping coverage.
Blake walked onto his college football team and had a
brief stint as an assistant coach after he graduated. He brings a sharp mind to
the world of sports handicapping. Blake understands the nuances of the game
that only someone who has played would understand. Thoughts or
questions? Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
