It looks like we will get at least one more chance to see Josh Rosen at the collegiate level. Rosen, the quarterback that should be the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, has returned to practice and looks like he will actually play in the Cactus Bowl for the UCLA Bruins. He has been lights out this season and pretty much willed the team to the postseason on his own. A back injury knocked him out of the season finale against Cal, but he returned to practice last week and appears set to play against the Kansas State Wildcats.
Watch the Cactus Bowl live on Tuesday, December 26, 2017, at 9 p.m. ET at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. This game will be broadcast on ESPN.
College Football Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
UCLA +2
Kansas State -2
Over/Under 63.5
Odds Analysis
Kansas State has been a marginal team in terms of the betting odds, but did pick up two very nice wins. The Wildcats knocked off Texas Tech as a 3.5-point underdog and in their penultimate game of the regular season beat Oklahoma State as a 19.5-point underdog. Both wins came on the road and show that Bill Snyder’s guys can win anywhere.
UCLA went just 4-8 ATS this season as the defense let the team down time and time again. In half of the Bruins games this season, there were at least 77 total points, so it’s no wonder that the over was 8-4 in UCLA games on the year. Every single game played outside of Los Angeles did go over the total so keep an eye on that.
Matchup to Watch
Teams didn’t have to worry about throwing the ball against UCLA’s defense this year. The run defense was so dreadful that teams were content to just hand the ball off and watch their backs repeatedly rip off huge chunks of yardage.
UCLA had the second-worst run defense in the country, giving up 282.7 yards per game. The Bruins were the easiest power conference team to run on this year, allowing 5.7 yards per carry to opponents, and failed to really stop any halfway decent team.
That’s music to Kansas State’s ears. The Wildcats are not a passing team and will be more than happy to keep the ball on the ground. Kansas State averaged 4.8 yards per carry this season and six players had at least 40 carries this year.
Coaching Angle
Unfortunately for the Wildcats, they will have a new person calling the offensive plays next season. Offensive coordinator Dana Dimel was recently announced as UTEP’s new head coach and will likely bring some members of Kansas State’s staff with him.
Dimel is slated to call the plays in the Cactus Bowl, but that’s always a tricky situation when someone is on their way out the door. Although Dimel is supposed to call the plays, Bill Snyder might instead use this as an opportunity to give one of his other assistants some hands-on experience.
UCLA is going through a transition process too, but the whole coaching staff is turning over for the Bruins. Chip Kelly was hired to replace Jim Mora and has already made some big moves on the recruiting trail. However, he will not be coaching the bowl game and instead it will be Jedd Fisch calling the shots.
Free ATS Pick
It looks like Kansas State will start freshman Skylar Thompson at quarterback in this one. Thompson took over after both Jesse Ertz and Alex Delton went down to injury and has played well, but is still very raw.
Rosen looks set to go too, although that could change if he doesn’t want to risk further injury that would hurt his draft stock.
There are a lot of variables that still need to be shaken out, so wait to bet this one. Barring any changes though, back UCLA to get the victory in Rosen’s last start. The defense will be inspired to stop the run well enough to help the Bruins win a shootout.
College Football Odds: UCLA 43, Kansas State 37
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
