The UCLA Bruins take on the UNLV Rebels in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, Sept. 6. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
UCLA is favored by -2.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -135. The Rebels, meanwhile, come in at +135 to pull off the upset. The total is set at 54.5 points.
Here’s my UCLA vs. UNLV prediction and college football picks for Saturday, September 6.
UCLA vs UNLV Prediction
- UCLA vs. UNLV Pick: UCLA -2.5
My UNLV vs. UCLA best bet is on the Bruins to cover the spread. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
UCLA vs UNLV Odds
| UCLA Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -115 | 54.5 -115o / -105u | -135 |
| UNLV Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -105 | 54.5 -115o / -105u | +114 |
- UCLA vs UNLV Spread: UCLA -2.5, UNLV +2.5
- UCLA vs UNLV Over/Under: 54.5
- UCLA vs UNLV Moneyline: UCLA -135, UNLV +114
UCLA vs UNLV College Football Betting Preview
UCLA Bruins Betting Preview: Sink or Swim?
It was a reality check in Week 1 for UCLA.
After making headlines in the offseason by securing Iamaleava’s services, the belief was that the Bruins were going to drastically improve during this season.
In head coach DeShaun Foster’s first season at the helm, it was clear that it was just a feeling-out process. Year 2 was when it was all going to click, right?
It’s obviously too early to tell, but getting throttled by Utah in the season opener by a score of 43-10 is a terrible look for the believers. I put a future on the Bruins to win more than 5.5 games, and you can imagine the look on my face throughout the Week 1 demolition.
I think Iamaleava is going to be fine. Or maybe he’s not cut out to be the center of criticism; it’s hard to say.
I always thought he took too much criticism. He took an SEC school to the College Football Playoff in his first year as a starter. It’s clear he knows how to play big-time football.
One of the few bright spots last week was running back Anthony Woods, who missed all of last season due to a lower-body injury, but has the potential to run for bulk yardage.
Woods managed 61 total scrimmage yards — the most of all position players — as well as the sole touchdown for the Bruins.
I’m expecting more out of wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer, though. Gilmer was the offseason star in camp for Foster and his crew, but he only brought in 31 yards on three catches.
UNLV Rebels Betting Preview: Feeling Good to Start the Season
Led by head coach Dan Mullen, who has returned to coaching after a four-year hiatus, UNLV has to be feeling its oats.
After starting the season with a Week 0 win over Idaho State, it came out on top against Sam Houston in Week 1.
Anthony Colandrea has had a wonderful start to his career in Vegas. After spending the first two seasons in Virginia, he has started the new chapter of his career with a 77% completion rate on 44 pass attempts.
He’ll inevitably come back down to earth, though.
In two seasons at Charlottesville, Colandrea battled through injuries, and when he was on the field, he was mostly unspectacular.
Though this time, he’s built an unflappable connection with redshirt senior Jaden Bradley, who, in two games, is already posting career-high numbers.
In the program’s first two games, Bradley has hauled in six targets for over 125 receiving yards.
Tailing behind him is JoJo Earle, another redshirt senior, but a receiver who’s more known for his speed. Earle has brought in six targets for 65 yards, so certainly not as much of an impact player as his partner.
But something that I’ll mainly keep an eye on is how the secondary fares.
Why? Because Rebels defensive back Aamaris Brown had a lot to say about UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
Make no mistake, Brown is no slouch, tying for the team lead in total tackles, leading in tackles for loss, sacks, interceptions and pass breakups. So, perhaps it’s just a sign of being overly confident, but to make a claim like that is rather bold.
UCLA vs UNLV Pick, Betting Analysis
I may kick myself, but I’m betting on a bounce-back game for the Bruins.
Despite the incredible first two weeks from Brown, the rest of the defense has been underwhelming. There are some ballers on this defense, but the execution is lacking, especially when it comes to allowing 31 points to Idaho State.
You have to think that Foster hung Brown’s comments in Iamaleava’s locker. Iamaleava hasn’t had a loss like that in his college career, so the redshirt sophomore has to be aiming to right the ship.
However, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about UCLA’s defense. Allowing 43 points to Utah is inexcusable.
It can’t get any worse, though, right? I truly think this team is better than what we saw last week, so I’m riding with the Bruins.
Pick: UCLA -2.5
