For the first time in program history, the 13th ranked Bruins will open with a true freshman quarterback when Josh Rosen gets the call for Saturday’s game against Virginia. Rosen could be the missing link for Jim Mora’s squad, which has enough proven talent to win the Pac-12. If he is, we may have the Bruins playing home games in the Rosen Bowl for a few years.
ODDS
There’s been a lot of movement on the line in the last few days. UCLA opened as a 17-point favorite and that number spiked to its current 19.5 mark. The wagering leveled off and the spread has remained at its current number. The total opened at 54, which seemed a bit high given UVA’s lack of offense and UCLA starting a true freshman quarterback. The total dipped to its current 52.5.
KEY MISMATCH
UCLA Running Back Paul Perkins against Virginia Defensive Front
While the Bruins put the quarterbacking duties in the hands of a true freshman for the first time, they will rely on a proven commodity to do the heavy lifting. Running back Paul Perkins is more than capable of carrying the load and he will be needed to do that, at least for the opener, while Rosen gets his feet wet. Last season Perkins became the first Bruin since 2001 to lead the conference in rushing, compiling 1,575 yards. He ran for at least 78 yards in every game and had over 100 six times. Perkins is a true workhorse, plus he’ll be attacking a rebuilt Virginia front seven that could get pushed around by the best Bruins offensive line in several years.
KEY STAT
25.8 – The Cavaliers finished 87th out of 128 FBS teams in scoring last year with an average of 25.8 points per game and placed 90th in total offense. Five of their seven losses were within one possession and their inability to punch it in cost them a bowl game. quarterback Matt Johns threw two scoring passes in last year’s meeting, nearly bringing the Cavs back from a 21-3 deficit. He earned the starting job this spring and is being counted on to improve those numbers.
BETTING ANGLE
Virginia will be playing this season to save the job of head coach Mike London, who is firmly planted on the hot seat entering 2015. The Cavs are 23-38 with one bowl appearance through his five seasons at the school, and he was given a surprising reprieve from AD Craig Littlepage after going 5-7 in 2014. The Cavs started 4-2 last season before collapsing in the second half, losing five of six to miss out on the postseason. UVA is 0-5 all-time against the Pac-12, including last year’s narrow home loss to the Bruins, and makes its second visit to California, having lost to USC in 2010.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Rosen will be surrounded by a group of UCLA players that have been around the program for a few years with 18 returning starters. The freshman won’t be asked to do too much early on and he won’t have to before a brutal stretch of games begins in two weeks. But the kid is a five-star recruit for a reason – he can play. The Bruins did suffer a blow when all-conference cornerback and return man Ishmael Adams was suspended indefinitely after his arrest for an alleged robbery. His loss likely won’t affect the outcome of this game, but could prove costly when the Bruins start their Pac-12 schedule. The Cavs played hard and covered the spread against UCLA last year, but they better enjoy the SoCal weather this week because it’s a long cross country trip to take a beating.
UCLA 35, Virginia 13
The college football lines for this contest were first released by BookMaker and the Bruins were positioned as 17-point favorites with a total of 54. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next quarter. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device or tablet at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The Virginia Cavaliers and UCLA Bruins square off on Saturday, September 5, 2015, at 3:30 p.m. ET at the Rose Bowl. The contest will be broadcast live on FOX.
