UCLA Bruins vs. Arizona Wildcats Picks and Game Preview - 10/09/2021

by Chuck Sommers

Wednesday, Oct 06, 2021
Game time: 10:30 p.m. ET, October 9, 2021
Venue: Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
Where to watch: ESPN

Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks


DraftKings: UCLA -16
BetMGM: UCLA -16
Caesars: UCLA -16

Season record
UCLA: 3-2 (1-1 Pac-12)
Arizona: 0-4 (0-1 Pac-12)

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UCLA - Arizona preview and analysis


Recent form
UCLA: lost 42-23 vs. Arizona State on Oct. 2
Arizona: lost 41-19 at No. 8 Oregon on Sept. 25

Clearly it's not all roses quiet yet for the UCLA Bruins. There may still be some growing pains in the works for Chip Kelly's crew, but not all roses have wilted in the Rose Bowl.

But the good news for the Bruins is they'll get another crack at the state of Arizona for its treachery committed last week when they take on the Arizona Wildcats in Tucson on Saturday.

UCLA's strong start has admittedly fizzled a bit. After a last-second loss to the Fresno State Bulldogs three weeks ago, UCLA answered with an impressive double-digit road win against the Stanford Cardinal but came back crashing down at home in a 19-point loss to the Arizona State Sun Devils last week.

The Bruins offense did well for the most part, gaining 435 yards and trailing 24-23 at halftime. That was as good as that offense could do, being shut out 18-0 in the second half. Jayden Daniels for 286 yards on 13 completions and had two touchdowns, while also running for 45.

He far and away outdueled UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. The Las Vegas native threw the ball well (235 yards, 1 TD) and ran well (96 yards on 19 carries), but they apparently needed him to play some defense to stop Daniels and running back Rachaad White (69 yards, 2 TD).

There may not be a better team to get an offense back on track for UCLA than an Arizona club that has lost 16 straight coming into this week. The Wildcats had a week off but are coming off a 22-point loss to the Oregon Ducks in Eugene.

Arizona did make a game out of it before Oregon tried to make a late push for the backdoor cover. The Ducks needed just one more touchdown to cover that -29. So moral victories for the Wildcats are always a good thing. Just ask UNLV.

Jordan McCloud did not help the cause by throwing five interceptions, but the Arizona offense outgained Oregon 435-393 and had 31 first downs to Oregon's 17. The Wildcats, much like the previous 15 games before that, just ran out of gas.

Prediction


Safe to say the Wildcats won't have gas in the car this week. If this gets to a close game, UCLA will turn to the ground game and put this one out of reach in a hurry. The Arizona defense hasn’t been overwhelmed as much, but this contest will be an instance where UCLA’s quarterback has a big day and helps cover the point spread. UCLA by 20

Betting trends


UCLA is 4-6 against the spread and straight-up in its last 10 as a favorite.

Arizona is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 home games and 2-10 ATS in its last 12 games following a conference matchup

Players to watch


UCLA: There is an air element to UCLA’s offense, as evidence of last week’s loss. Greg Dulcich was UCLA’s leading receiver with nine receptions for 136 yards.

Arizona: The Wildcats will always be a run-first team, and Michael Wiley is the other name to watch when Drake Anderson needs a rest. Wiley had 15 carries for 63 yards last week in Eugene.

Statistical leaders


UCLA:
Passing: Dorian Thompson-Robinson -- 1,154 yards, 10 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Zach Charbonnet -- 449 yards, 7 TD
Receiving: Kyle Philips -- 352 yards, 6 TD

Arizona:
Passing: Gunner Cruz -- 406 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Drake Anderson -- 182 yards, 1 TD
Receiving: Stanley Berryhill III -- 338 yards, 1 TD

Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert football picks today. And if you enjoyed this Team X - Team Y prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily NCAA/NFL projections and previews.

Chuck Sommers

About the Author:

Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.

All photographic images used for editorial content have been licensed from the Associated Press.

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