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The Utah Utes are 5-1 against the UCLA Bruins since November of 2015, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Saturday. The Utes and UCLA will face off in a Pac-12 battle at 3:30 p.m. ET at Rose Bowl. Both teams have set a high bar for this game after stand-out offensive performances in their previous games.
You can't lose the contest if you win every quarter, and that was precisely Utah's strategy against the Oregon State Beavers last week. Everything went Utah's way against Oregon State as they made off with a 42-16 win. QB Cameron Rising had a stellar game for Utah as he passed for three TDs and 199 yards on 25 attempts in addition to rushing for one TD and 73 yards.
The Utes' defense was a presence as well, as it collected four interceptions. CB Clark Phillips III picked up that interception and then proceeded to rub salt in the wound by taking it back the other way for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, the Bruins beat the Washington Huskies 40-32 last Friday. UCLA's QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson was on fire, passing for three TDs and 315 yards on 33 attempts in addition to rushing for one TD and 53 yards. That was the first 300+ yard effort for Thompson-Robinson this season.
The Utes are the favorite in this one, with an expected 3.5-point margin of victory. They have been consistent moneymakers against the spread when favored (3-1), so they might be worth a quick bet.
Utah is now 4-1 while UCLA sits at 5-0. A couple defensive stats to keep an eye on: Utah enters the matchup with only two passing touchdowns allowed, good for third best in the nation. As for UCLA, they rank sixth in the nation when it comes to rushing yards allowed per game, with only 80.4 on average.
