UCLA Stays Home For LA Bowl

The LA Bowl kicks off this upcoming Saturday, December, 16th. We’ve got the latest updates on lines, injuries, departures and weather right here:

The UCLA Bruins have received some action the past week to push the point spread higher. The Bruins opened -3 and the line dropped to 2.5, but is now up to UCLA -4.5 points. Much of that has to do with the likelihood freshman CJ Tiller makes his debut for Boise State at quarterback.

Tiller has been taking the majority of first-team snaps in practice during the week. Redshirt sophomore Colt Fulton has also been getting some practice time for the Broncos. The total has also dropped slightly and has moved from 49.5 to 48.5.

The Bruins will be without defensive lineman standout Laiatu Latu for the game. UCLA coach Chip Kelly announced Monday the Lombardi Award winner was going to skip the game to concentrate on studies and get ready for the NFL Draft.

Several defensive backs have recently entered the transfer portal, so cornerback John Humphrey and safeties Kamari Ramsey and Williams Nimmo Jr. are going to miss the game. Ramsey had 40 tackles for UCLA, which ranks No. 6 on the team, and Humphrey had 31.

The weather is expected to be perfect for football, with little wind and temperatures in the mid- to upper-70s. There is little chance of rain.

Now, check out the rest of the LA Bowl preview, originally published on December 8.

The UCLA Bruins won’t have far to travel this bowl season. The LA Bowl will be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, which is just 21.5 miles from the Rose Bowl. As a result of essentially playing at home, the Starco Brands LA Bowl college football odds have the Bruins favored by 3 over Boise State. The total on the game is 49.5 and the Bruins are -150 on the moneyline.

LA Bowl Information

Bruins Falter Down Stretch

No matter how you look at it, this college bowl game has to be a disappointment for UCLA. The Bruins were 6-2 after beating Colorado. But UCLA lost three of its last four games to finish 7-5. All three losses were as favorites and the lone win was upsetting USC as 4.5-point underdogs. Now, the Bruins don’t even get to travel somewhere for their game, but will instead be playing in their backyard.

The Bruins weren’t very good offensively. UCLA averaged 25.8 points per game against teams that allowed 31 points per game. The Bruins ran the ball 40.2 times per game and threw 31.5 times. UCLA averaged 4.8 yards per carry, although their opponents allowed 4.9 on average.

The passing game wasn’t great, but it was terrible. The Bruins threw for 229.1 yards per game, but were sacked 42 times on the season. Four different quarterbacks threw for 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

The Bruins were solid on defense, allowing 18.1 points per game to teams averaging 26.6 points. Running against the Bruins was a tough task. UCLA allowed 2.3 yards per carry and just 69.8 yards per game. The pass defense was pretty good, as well. The Bruins allowed 6.4 yards per pass attempt to teams averaging 7.3 yards.

With a weak offense and a top-notch defense, it’s no surprise the Bruins were an under team in 2023. The college football bowl scores show the Bruins were 2-10 in totals. But with Boise State being a strong over team, the LA Bowl college football odds have the over/under at 49.5. The Bruins were just 5-7 against the point spread during the year.

Departures & Injuries

So far, the Bruins have fared pretty well in regards to losing players to the transfer portal. Wide receivers Keegan Jones and Cam Brown will miss the game. But the two caught just 20 passes and had one touchdown between them. The other NCAAF player to enter the transfer portal is lineman Jake Wiley.

Broncos Save Best For Last

It wasn’t a great season by Boise State standards. The Broncos finished the regular season with a 7-5 record, but then beat UNLV to win the Mountain West championship. But the Broncos aren’t used to five-loss seasons, as this is just the second time since 2000 they’ve lost five games in the regular season. But after starting the season off with a 4-5 record, 8-5 probably doesn’t sound all that bad.

Boise State averaged 32.9 points per game against college football teams that allowed 28 points. The Broncos are a running team, averaging 217 yards per game on the ground.

Boise State gained 5.5 yards per rush against teams allowing 4.5 yards per carry. The passing game was fair, with the Broncos throwing for 229.2 yards and 8.6 yards per pass attempt. The threat of the running game helped the passing game.

On defense, the Broncos allowed 24.8 points to teams averaging 29.7 points per game. Boise State was better at stopping the run than the pass. The Broncos allowed 3.9 yards per carry to teams that averaged 4.5 yards per carry. But Boise State did allow 251.9 yards per game through the air.

Departures & Injuries

Boise State has seen just two players enter the transfer portal so far. But one of them looms pretty big, as leading receiver Eric McAlister will miss the game. McAlister caught 47 passes for 873 yards and five touchdowns. He helps stretch out the defense for the running game, so he’ll certainly be missed.

Can Bruins Get Themselves Motivated?

UCLA had the tougher of the NCAAF schedules and are basically playing at home. That puts the NCAA bowl odds predictions closer to UCLA -4. But the LA Bowl college football odds have the Bruins -3 and one part of that is due to motivation. The Bruins might have a tough time getting up for this game. Motivation shouldn’t be as much of an issue for the Broncos, who get to play a name team.

But Boise State needs to run the football to be at its best. That’s not going to be easy against UCLA’s rushing defense, which is one of the best there is. The Broncos will try to run and see how their line matches up against the Bruins.

For UCLA, it’s going to be a question of the Bruins being able to throw the ball against a suspect secondary. If the Bruins are having success through the air, that’s going to make it tough for Boise State to keep up.

For NCAAF betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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