UCLA Football: 5 bold predictions for the Bruins in October
By Zach Bigalke
1. UCLA will beat the spread in every game
It might be premature to say that UCLA will win every game outright this month. But the Bruins will be an underdog in at least one of the three games on their schedule. Jim Mora’s team still fields one of the most prolific offenses in the country, and that won’t change with the flip of the calendar. UCLA will beat the point spread in every game they play this month.
The October schedule opens on October 14 with a trip eastward to Tempe to face the Sun Devils. Arizona State is giving up over 36 points per game, ranking 115th nationally in scoring defense. The following week, UCLA returns home for a showdown against an Oregon team that will have a hard time keeping pace without injured quarterback Justin Herbert.
While they get to play against the stat-boosting defenses of Arizona State and Oregon to open the season, though, the Bruins also have to play at Washington to close out the month on October 21. The Huskies will likely be heavy favorites as they look to repeat as Pac-12 champions and College Football Playoff participants.
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UCLA will come close to pulling off the road upset to end the month. Though they will ultimately lose as the Huskies remain unbeaten, the Bruins will pay off for those that bet on them in October. They will finish the month with a 5-3 record, one step away from bowl eligibility.