Week 11: Bruins vs Huskies Pick
NCAA Football Week 10 Betting action sees the UCLA Bruins taking on the Washington Huskies on Saturday November 8th at Husky Stadium. Cappers Picks provides free college football handicapping tips all season long.
It’s strange to say at UCLA – a football program that was long perceived as the “Little Brother” (to borrow a Big Ten term) to Southern Cal in college football, and maybe still is – that a two-loss season is already a letdown.
Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 8 2014, 7 pm EST
Venue: Husky Stadium, Seattle WA
Broadcast: FOX Sports 1
UCLA -6.5, Washington +6.5
Over/Under: OFF
Odds from Bovada
Yet, expectations were sky high in Westwood going into this season.
The 7-2 Bruins are still vaguely alive in the Pac-12 South race, though they need help in the form of an Arizona State loss. With UCLA’s two losses coming to conference foes Utah and Oregon, the pressure is on.
With superstar QB Brett Hundley returning and LB/RB Myles Jack terrorizing people on both sides of the ball, many thought UCLA could take advantage of a (relatively) sleeping giant across town in USC. However, the two Pac-12 losses have dimmed hopes somewhat.
Bruins head coach Jim Mora and his players must believe that they aren’t out of it, and good vibes must continue with a road win against Washington this weekend.
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The Huskies have an athletic wunderkind of their own in Shaq Thompson. The 6″1, 228-lb junior is dangerous running the football and also blows up ballcarriers on defense. It’s neat that non-partisan fans can watch Jack and Thompson wreak their multi-faceted havoc on the same field.
Washington dismissed star CB Marcus Peters after repeated antics with the coaching staff. That will hurt the Huskies prospects as he was intrinsic to the success of the Husky secondary.
Minus Peters, the UCLA offense should be able to connect with stud WR Jordan Payton early and often. With seven receiving TDs on the year, he’s been central to UCLA’s scoring.
The Bruins run game is also dangerous thanks to Paul Perkins (who already has 1,071 yards in 2014), the multi-dimensional Hundley and the athletic Jack also throwing a kink at the opposition. The Bruins put up over 220 rush yards per game, so the home side better take notice.
Husky Stadium has always been a wild place to play, even since local interest has swayed over to the hugely successful Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. Washington is playing for routine pride and divisional jockeying, but there’s lots on the line if you’re a UCLA supporter.
Thompson should be a joy to watch for the Huskies en route to his inevitable march to the pros, but due to the loss of Peters in the secondary and the sense of urgency UCLA should feel, I like the Bruins in this one.
UCLA 28, Washington 17
Check out our Updated CFB Week 11 Odds.
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