UNLV at UCLA Week 2 Betting Odds & Free Pick

Posted by Jordan Walterss on Thursday,September 8, 2016 8:37, EDT in

A lot of people liked UCLA to win the Pac-12 title this season and perhaps make the College Football Playoff. But the Bruins have no wiggle room for the latter after losing Week 1 at Texas A&M to fall out of the Top 25. UCLA plays its home opener on Saturday vs. UNLV a big favorite in online college football betting.

Here’s a Look at the UNLV at UCLA Week 2 Betting Odds, Free Pick & TV Info

When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 8 PM ET
Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif.
TV: Pac-12 Network
Stream: Pac-12 Live
Radio: UNLV / UCLA
Opening NCAA Football Lines: UCLA -26 (60)

Why Bet on UNLV?

The Rebels won their opener 63-13 over FCS school Jackson State, the alma mater of late Hall of Famer Walter Payton. Johnny Stanton was 10 of 12 for 217 yards and he threw three touchdown passes to Devonte Boyd. UNLV received the kickoff and scored a touchdown. It marked the eighth time in the Rebels’ 13 games under Tony Sanchez that they scored on the opening drive of the game. On the third play from scrimmage, Stanton hit Boyd for a 56-yard touchdown.

Charles Williams ran for 96 yards and one touchdown, and Lexington Thomas added 68 yards and two TDs for UNLV (1-0). Boyd finished with 135 yards receiving. It was the Rebels’ first season-opening victory since 2009 when they beat Sacramento State. The 63 points tied for the fourth-most in school history and the 50-point margin of victory was the sixth-biggest ever for the Rebels. Also, UNLV improved to 10-7 all-time in games played on Thursday.

The Rebels are looking to win their opening road game of a season for the first time since downing Utah State in Logan in 2007 and are playing to start a season 2-0 for the first time since College Football Hall of Famer John Robinson’s first season coaching the program in 1999. UNLV will be taking the field in LA County for the first time since its only trip to play USC in 1997.

Despite the two campuses standing just 283 miles apart, UNLV and UCLA have met only once on the football field as the Bruins won 37-3 last year. The Rebels have played seven schools that were members of the Pac-12 Conference at the time of the game and have a 4-15 record in those outings.

Why Bet on UCLA?

The Bruins lost 31-24 in overtime at Texas A&M in Week 1. Trevor Knight threw for 239 yards and a touchdown and ran for two more scores, including that one in overtime that gave A&M the win. The Aggies sealed the victory when Justin Evans knocked down Josh Rosen’s pass at the goal line on fourth down.

Rosen threw three interceptions while working under heavy pressure from a defense led by Myles Garrett. Rosen registered his seventh career 300-yard passing game vs. Texas A&M (343 yards). He is now tied for third on the school all-time list with Cory Paus, 1999-2002. School leader is Cade McNown, 1995-98, with 11.

“I played a pretty abysmal first half. Coach [Jim Mora] is going to try and be Coach and console me and say, ‘It wasn’t all you.’ But I missed some incredibly key opportunities to take advantage of,” Rosen said. “I can’t try and compete to be the best quarterback in the country and throw three picks. It doesn’t work like that.”

UCLA RB Nate Starks, who did not travel to play Texas A&M (discipline), will practice this week, but his status for Saturday’s game against UNLV is undetermined, Mora said.

UCLA has won 14 of its last 17 non-conference matchups, it had a streak of 11 straight non-conference wins snapped in last season’s bowl loss to Nebraska. UCLA had won all 12 regular season non-conference games under Coach Mora before falling in overtime at Texas A&M. UCLA is 42-6- 2 all-time vs. teams in the current Mountain West Conference.

The Bruins are 22-9 in the last 31 home contests and most recently posted an unbeaten home season in 2005 (6-0). UCLA has won its last five home openers – 2011 vs. San Jose State, 2012 vs. Nebraska, 2013 vs. Nevada, 2014 vs. Memphis and 2015 vs. Virginia.

My Expert Pick

Rebels are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
Rebels are 5-16 ATS in their last 21 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
Rebels are 1-4 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
Bruins are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 vs. MWC.
Bruins are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games following a ATS loss.

Give the points, go over the total on NCAA football lines.