Week five offers a Friday Night college football primer that could be one of the most intriguing matchups of the entire weekend. The UCLA Bruins made a huge splash with the hiring of head coach Chip Kelly but so far, the X Box offense that Kelly terrorized opponents with at Oregon is nowhere to be found. Meanwhile the resurgent Colorado Buffaloes are looking like a prime contender in the Pac 12 South Division. Head coach Mike Macintyre was coach of the year two years ago but suffered a big drop in 2017. But so far in 2018 Coach Mac and his Buffs have impressed. The Bruins and Buffs meet Friday night in a key Pac 12 South Division matchup.
Kickoff for this regular season Week 5 game is set for Friday, September 28, 2018, at 9 p.m. ET at Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado. TV coverage is on FS1.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
UCLA +11
Colorado -11
Over/Under (Check Back Later)
Odds Analysis
Colorado is the obvious favorite based mostly on how bad UCLA is playing. It was expected to be a year of rebuilding for the Bruins but the fact that a Chip Kelly based offense ranks among the worst in the country moves the needle in Colorado’s favor. Be sure to be prepared and ready for both live and halftime betting. Bookmaker offers action throughout this Friday night matchup!
Recent Form
UCLA is a discouraging 0-3 straight up and 1-2 against the spread with two of their three games going over the total. It was obvious the Bruins were in trouble from the very start in a 26-17 home loss to lightly regarded Cincinnati. That was followed up with a 49-21 loss at Oklahoma in which the Bruins covered as whopping 31-point dogs. In their last game September 15 UCLA was thrashed by Fresno State 38-14 as 2.5-point home dogs. When you lose two home games decisively against Group of Five teams you have no better evidence of misery.
Colorado is 3-0 straight up and 2-1 against the spread with two of their three games going under the total. The Buffs are coming off a bye which followed a 45-14 home win over New Hampshire in which CU was a 37.5-point overlay.
Key Trends
UCLA has been a subpar road dog in recent seasons with a mark of four payouts and six losses in their last 10 games in that role. Four of the Bruins last five as a road dog have gone over the total. But as a double-digit road dog UCLA has paid in four of their last five with four of their last six when getting 10 or more points going under the total.
Colorado has drowned gamblers in red ink as a home chalk with just one payout in their last six games laying points at Folsom Field. Colorado has gone over the total in four out of their last six as a home chalk. Additionally, the Buffs have dropped five in a row against the board as a double-digit home chalk. Five of their last six in that situation have also gone under the total.
Head to Head
The UCLA vs. Colorado series has been controlled in large part by the Buffaloes in recent years. To show, Colorado has paid in four of their last five against UCLA with the last two meetings going over the total. However, at Folsom Field the Bruins have come away with the cash in three of their last four visits with a split against the spread in their two most recent visits. Three of the last four between these teams at Colorado have gone under the total. UCLA won last year’s meeting at home 27-23 but failed to cover as 7.5-point favorites.
Free ATS Pick
It is incredible that a Chip Kelly UCLA team ranks 119th in the nation for total offense and 121st for scoring offense. The Bruins defense ranks 116th for points allowed. Based on that Colorado is the only choice.
College Football Odds: Colorado 31, UCLA 17
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