Iowa vs UCLA Predictions: Bet Bruins to Cover Spread 11/8
- UCLA’s offense has come alive in the last two games, which could give it a chance to cover the college football spread.
- Iowa has won 82-24 in the previous two games, but both were at home.
- Check out all the odds for this week’s games at BetUS sportsbook.
With the new West Coast teams in the Big Ten, this will be Iowa’s (6-3, 4-2) first trip across the country, going up against UCLA (3-5, 2-4) on Friday night. That newness of the rivalry makes this matchup a little more special, but it may not play a massive part in college football picks.
The more significant factor in this matchup will be how these teams have played in their previous two games. After being upset three games ago, Iowa has dominated in its last two matchups. The Hawkeyes beat Wisconsin 42-10 last week, completely controlling the game.
UCLA has won its last two games as the underdog. Last week, the Bruins were 7½-point underdogs against Nebraska and went on to win 27-20. This is after the team started this season 1-5.
Iowa vs UCLA Game Information
- Game: Iowa (6-3) vs UCLA (3-5)
- Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
- Day/Time: Friday, Nov. 8, 9:00 p.m. ET
- Iowa vs UCLA Live Stream: Fubo.tv
Iowa vs UCLA Odds and Spread
Bet on Iowa vs UCLA Game at BetUS Sportsbook!
Iowa vs UCLA Betting Preview
Offense Revives Bruins
On paper, this might seem like a simple game for college football predictions. Iowa is the better team, but UCLA has looked good in its last two games, which has complicated things. While Iowa has also looked impressive in back-to-back wins, the long road trip and shorter week could have an effect.
The biggest thing that has changed for the Bruins in the last two weeks is their offense. They are averaging 18.6 points this season, the lowest in the Big Ten. However, in the past two games, the Bruins have looked good offensively.
💥 32/38 CMP
💥 431 total yds
💥 5 total TDEthan Garbers had a career day in @UCLAFootball‘s Week 8 win at Rutgers 👇 #B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/4dJqgT4nAD
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 20, 2024
UCLA beat Rutgers 35-32 behind quarterback Ethan Garbers, who easily had his best game of the season before getting a week off. Garbers completed 32 of 38 passes, throwing for 383 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran the ball nine times for 48 yards and another score.
After the bye week, his excellent play continued. Garbers threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns while leading the team in rushing with 56 yards against Nebraska. According to Iowa vs UCLA stats, those were the only two games where Garbers did not throw an interception this season.
If this is how Garbers will play and this is what UCLA’s offense will look like, it has a strong chance of covering the spread. It also helps that Iowa’s defense has not been as dominant as in past years, allowing 308.1 yards and 18 points per game. The Hawkeyes have given up 24 points over their last two games, but UCLA’s offense is still pretty hot.
Best Bet: UCLA +5½
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Trust Iowa Betting Trends
Most people are not accustomed to hearing the Hawkeyes hit the over regularly when talking about this school’s football team. However, the Hawkeyes are one of the most reliable over picks on the points total. In nine games this season, Iowa has hit the under only once – a 35-7 loss to Ohio State 00 while going over eight times.
Iowa has become such a reliable over bet because of its offense. Even though Cade McNamara got hurt two games ago and missed last week’s matchup against Wisconsin, the offense has still scored 40 or more points in back-to-back weeks. Record-setting running back Kaleb Johnson is a big reason for that.
That is just what Kaleb Johnson does.
📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/J8I9mnu9cb
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) November 3, 2024
Johnson has made college football news by rushing for 1,279 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2024. He has scored 20 total touchdowns, which is a school record. He broke the previous record last week, and he has three games to build on and expand on his new record.
Last week, Johnson had 135 yards on 24 carries with three scores, but that wasn’t all for Iowa’s rushing attack. The Hawkeyes rushed for 329 yards, with the backup quarterback Brendan Sullivan helping with 58 yards and a touchdown.
Iowa is without its starting quarterback, but the offense goes through Johnson. UCLA does allow the third-fewest rushing yards per game (100.4) in the Big Ten, but Iowa rushes for the most (222.4) in the conference. That will be a battle of strengths, but you should still feel safe backing the over in NCAA football lines.
Questions of the Day
Is there a player prop to pay attention to for this game?
The lines on Ethan Garbers should still have enough value for him to be a solid player prop-betting option.
Can UCLA win this game?
UCLA’s offense has been outstanding in the last two weeks, and as the home team, it poses a real threat to Iowa.
Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.
