Rutgers vs. UCLA Pick: Can the Scarlet Knights Bounce Back in Week 8?

UCLA Bruins (1-5 SU, ATS 3-3)  vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights (4-2 SU, ATS 3-1-1)
Date: 12:00 EST Saturday, October 19th
Location: SHI Stadium, Piscataway, NJ
TV: FS1
Point Spread: UCLA +4.5/RU -4.5
Money Line: UCLA +159/RU  -192
Over/Under: 40.5

With kickoff set for 12:00 ET, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights will host the UCLA Bruins at SHI Stadium in Piscataway. FSI will be handling the television broadcast as the Scarlet Knights, with a 4-2 record, are looking to pick up another win against the struggling Bruins. UCLA comes in with a 1-5 record. The over/under line is at 40.5 points for this week eight college football matchup.

Head-to-Head Matchup:

The UCLA Bruins and Rutgers Scarlet Knights did not meet up last season, but over their last three head-to-head matchups, each team is 1-2. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights had the edge vs. the spread in these games, at 2-1. These games averaged a combined total of 24 points per game, leading to an over/under record of 1-2.

UCLA Bruins Recent Form:

UCLA heads into Week 8 with a 1-5 record, ranked 74th in our power rankings. They have just a 1.1% chance of becoming bowl-eligible. The Bruins are 0-3 at home but 1-2 on the road this season.

UCLA’s ATS record is 3-3, with a -14 average scoring margin. They’ve been favored in just one game, going 0-1 ATS as the favorite and 3-2 ATS as the underdog.

Their over/under record is 1-5, with their games averaging 43 points. This week’s line is 40.5, compared to their average over/under line of 49.6 points.

UCLA’s offense has struggled this season, ranking 97th in points per game with 14.5 and sitting 96th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 8. Their third-down conversion rate is just 33.8%, and they are last in the nation in rushing, averaging 60.7 yards per game.

Ethan Garbers leads the passing attack with 1,101 yards, but he has thrown nine interceptions compared to four touchdowns, resulting in a passer rating of 66. As a team, UCLA ranks 124th in passer rating. They are 42nd in passing attempts, averaging 31.3 per game.

UCLA’s defense allowed 21 points in their recent 21-17 loss to Minnesota, giving up 234 total yards. They held Minnesota to just 41 rushing yards on 24 attempts but allowed 193 passing yards and two passing touchdowns.

On the season, UCLA ranks 16th nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 93.5 yards per game. However, they’ve struggled against the pass, ranking 138th by giving up 265.7 passing yards per game, with opposing quarterbacks completing 70.5% of their throws.

Away Injury Report

Rutgers Scarlet Knights Recent Form:

Rutgers enters Week 8 with a 4-2 record, hosting UCLA. They rank 64th in our power rankings, and we project an 83.3% chance of them becoming bowl-eligible. At home, the Scarlet Knights are 2-1 this season.

They’ve been favored in three games, going 2-1 in those matchups, and their average scoring margin is +5.5 points per game. Against the spread, Rutgers is 3-1-1 overall, with a 2-1 record at home.

This week’s over/under line is set at 40.5 points. Rutgers’ games have averaged 45.8 points, and their average over/under line has been 42.9 points, with a 3-2 record against the total.

Rutgers’ offense has leaned heavily on their ground game, ranking 19th in rushing attempts and averaging 200.7 yards per game. Kyle Monangai has rushed for 739 yards, scoring seven touchdowns and averaging 5 yards per carry. Overall, Rutgers is averaging 25.7 points per game, placing them 59th nationally, and they are converting 40.2% of their third downs.

Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis has thrown for 1,050 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions, and Rutgers ranks 111th in passing yards per game. Kaliakmanis has a passer rating of 78, matching the team’s overall rating. Dymere Miller leads the receivers with 279 yards and one touchdown.

Despite a rough outing in their last game, where Rutgers allowed 42 points and 551 total yards against Wisconsin, their defense has generally been solid this season. They rank 29th nationally, giving up 20.2 points per game. Opponents have averaged 184.7 rushing yards per game against Rutgers, including 311 yards on the ground in their last matchup.

In the passing game, Rutgers has allowed 187 yards per game, ranking 40th in the country. Opposing quarterbacks have completed 58.1% of their passes and have a passer rating of 70.5 when facing Rutgers, which ranks 22nd nationally.

Home Injury Report

Betting Trends

• Across their last five road contests, UCLA has been good against the spread, posting a mark of 4-1. Their overall mark in these games was 3-2, while averaging 23 points per game.
• In their last ten games at home, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights have a straight-up record of 3-7 while going 4-3-2 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 14 points per game in these contests.
• In their last three games as the betting underdog, the UCLA Bruins have a straight-up record of 0-3 and an ATS mark of 2-1.
• As the betting favorite, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights have an ATS record of 2-1 in their last three games. In these matchups, their straight-up record was 2-1.

Free Pick

Rutgers had been riding high heading into Week 7 but were quickly brought down to earth by Wisconsin. Now, they have an opportunity to get back on track against a bad UCLA team. Even though Rutgers showed some major flaws last week, this is a get-right game, and I like them to win and cover at -4.5.

BAS Sportsbook -105 Odds!

BetAnySports is the perfect 5Dimes replacement, offering reduced juice with -105 odds on most markets. If you’re looking to get more value from your bets, this is the sportsbook for you. With the same great features you loved about 5Dimes, BetAnySports provides competitive lines, smooth navigation, and a wide range of betting options. Ready to step up your game? Join now and enjoy -105 odds… Read More