Oregon Ducks-UCLA Bruins: Will Another No. 1 Team Be Upset?
This Thursday, Pac-10 football will be showcased on ESPN, as the newly-anointed No. 1 ranked Oregon Ducks host the UCLA Bruins. The Ducks are expected to win this game easily, as they have been labeled 21 point favorites by BetMania.
The Ducks were handed the No. 1 ranking after Ohio State was upset on the road by the Wisconsin Badgers. The Ducks will try to avoid following Ohio State and Alabama by getting upset as the top-ranked team in the country. In order to avoid the upset, they will have to beat the UCLA Bruins on national television.
UCLA is excited about the opportunity to play Oregon, but are looking past the rankings. “You can’t get caught up in who they are or what they are,” coach Rick Neuheisel said. “It’s about playing the game and seeing how it matches up.”
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On paper, this game does not match up well for the Bruins, at least on defense. Oregon leads the nation in offense, with 567 yards per game, and scoring at 54.3 points per game. Their offense is powered by a strong rushing game that ranks third in the nation at 314.8 yards per game. They will be focused and ready to go with an extra week to prepare.
There is no way that Oregon will lose this game at home. They have the advantage of playing on their turf in a nationally-televised game, and will be weary of the upset after watching Alabama and Ohio State stumble. They also have added motivation, since they were ranked No. 2 in the BCS Standings behind Oklahoma, and enter this game healthy at key positions.
UCLA is not as lucky, as quarterback Kevin Prince is suffering from a knee injury. The swelling in the knee has gone down but he is not at 100 percent or as mobile as he hopes to be. The UCLA defense will play a key role in this game and have to play at their best to stay in this game. The UCLA defense is using this game as a measuring stick with how they can play against a top team. “This game is going to test our manhood,” safety Rahim Moore said. “It’s a big-time man’s game this week.”
It would be naïve to count out the Bruins, because they have played well on the road in a win over Texas and have matched up against teams ranked in the Top 25 this year. They are 13th overall in rushing in the FBS rankings, at 223 yards a game, and if they have a healthy Prince at quarterback, this will be closer than most people think.
When it comes to betting on the game, taking the points is the way to go. The Bruins are 23-10 against the spread (ATS) in their last 33 games following a loss; the underdog is 6-2 ATS in their last eight meetings. The Ducks are 1-4 ATS in their last five conference games and 0-5 ATS in their last five Thursday games. The Ducks will win this game, but UCLA will keep it close in this Pac-10 battle.
Matt Regaw is a B/R Featured Columnist and the founder of BookieBlitz.com, your one-stop shop for sports articles, previews, and predictions. Feel free to contact Matt at mregaw@gmail.com
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