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The UCLA Bruins have their backs against the wall. People are jumping off the bandwagon after another awful defensive performance and this team is in real trouble of missing out on a bowl game yet again at 4-4. Now, they have to travel to one of the toughest places to play in the PAC 12 and take on a Utah Utes team that has something to prove. Utah is 4-4 as well and has lost four in a row since starting the season undefeated.
This matchup in Week 10 of the regular season will take place on Friday, November 3, 2017, at 9:30 p.m. ET at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. This game will be broadcast on FS1.
Odds Analysis
The Utes have not been themselves on either side of the football in recent weeks. Utah’s typically stout defense has faltered and the run game has struggled to find consistency in the four-game losing streak. Utah was able to cover the spread against USC and pushed against Stanford, but in their last two games it lost by 20 points or more as a favorite.
UCLA is just 2-6 ATS on the season and has looked awful against the best teams on its schedule. Although the Bruins had a miracle comeback against Texas A&M in their season opener, this team has been saddled with a bad defense and a terrible offensive line for the second straight year. That has put the burden completely on Josh Rosen’s shoulders.
Key Injury
Rosen was knocked out of last week’s game against Washington with a finger injury and is considered questionable to play in this game. He should be able to strap on the pads, but the question right now is where his head is at and whether or not he wants to take even more lumps from a Utah defense that can get after the quarterback.
No player is more important to his team in all of college football than Rosen. The running game has been better than last season, but teams still aren’t respecting the run and the Bruins are averaging just 4.1 yards per carry this year.
His numbers aren’t extremely impressive on paper, but when you see what little talent Rosen has around him, it’s a wonder this team even has four wins.
Key Stat
The Utes have not been as successful at running the ball as they would like this season. Utah is a team that wants to pound the ball on the ground, but the offensive line has struggled in conference play this year. The running game is averaging just four yards per carry, even less than UCLA’s meager numbers, and failed to make much of an impact in recent games against Arizona State and Oregon.
Fortunately, Utah isn’t completely bereft of offensive weapons. Darren Carrington came over to the Utes during summer and has given the quarterbacks a true weapon to throw the ball to. He has 54 catches for 779 yards and five touchdowns this season, all numbers that are tops on the team by a wide margin. Carrington is a tough matchup and could have a big game against the Bruins.
Free ATS Pick
My pick for this one completely changes depending on whether or not Rosen plays. If he does get out there and play, I think the Bruins are going to win a back and forth shootout that proves Rosen should be worthy of the No. 1 pick. If not, I think that UCLA gets absolutely drilled in a performance that eventually costs Jim Mora his job at the end of the season.
Most indications make it sound like Rosen will play, but on a short week you just never know. Wait to bet on this one until a decision is made one way or the other.
College Football Odds: UCLA 37, Utah 34
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