The UCLA Bruins will look to improve on an underwhelming performance in their 2024 opener as they host the Indiana Hoosiers at the Rose Bowl on Saturday night.
The Hoosiers come in as a small road favorite but our Indiana vs. UCLA predictions are expecting a rock fight and are targeting the 46.5-point total instead. I break it all down in my free college football picks below.
Indiana vs UCLA prediction
My best bet
Under 46.5 (-110 at BetMGM)
My analysis
Could the Indiana Hoosiers be on the way to their first competitive season since 2020? The early returns are good, as Indiana has yet to be challenged in either of its first two games. We shouldn’t read too much into a blowout win over Western Illinois — other than the Hoosiers having the talent to score 77 points against anyone — but a 31-7 victory against FIU is certainly an encouraging result.
Perhaps best of all for the Hoosiers is the fact they’ve only allowed 10 points in total over those first two games. Sure, the level of competition has been relatively low, but Indiana hasn’t held an FBS opponent to single digits since 2020, a great sign for the new Curt Cignetti regime.
The UCLA Bruins were less impressive in their first game this year, beating Hawaii 16-13. The Bruins needed a last-minute field goal to secure the victory and had been shut out in the first half before coming back to win.
That’s not the kind of result that inspires a lot of hope for UCLA in its Big Ten schedule. Chip Kelly has kept the Bruins relevant, winning 8+ games in each of the last three seasons, but will have to find a way to improve his offense if he wants to win games in UCLA’s new league — not to mention an upcoming matchup against LSU.
The throughline for both teams has been excellent defensive efforts. Yes, Cignetti has some issues with how his secondary is playing, but they aren’t allowing points, and UCLA is unlikely to change that. The Bruins are banged up on the offensive line and only managed 343 total yards against Hawaii. This doesn’t look like a breakout opportunity for the UCLA offense.
Indiana will take a run-first offense into this game and will match it up against a Bruins team that allowed just 1.8 yards per carry against Hawaii. The 77 points against Western Illinois must have felt good, but the Hoosiers only scored 31 against FIU and are facing a much tougher defense from UCLA this weekend.
All of these factors suggest a low-scoring defensive slugfest on Saturday.
Indiana vs UCLA same-game parlay (SGP)
Under 46.5
Indiana -2.5
Ty Son Lawton 50+ rushing yards
In a game that won’t have a lot of offense, someone still has to get the better of the action. My pick is Indiana, as it's looked like the more capable squad this season. UCLA’s close call against Hawaii has me concerned about the Bruins, even at home, so I’m combining the Under with Hoosiers -2.5 for my SGP.
I want to take someone from Indiana to have some offensive impact in this game, and I’m going with running back Ty Son Lawton. The senior has already scored three times this year and has 116 yards over his first two games. I expect the Hoosiers to feed him early and often, allowing him to reach the 50-yard mark.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Indiana vs UCLA odds
Indiana vs UCLA live odds
Indiana vs UCLA opening odds
- Spread: Indiana -3 | UCLA +3
- Moneyline: Indiana -140 | UCLA +120
- Over/Under: Over 48.5 | Under 48.5
Odds courtesy of BetMGM
Indiana vs UCLA spread and Over/Under analysis
- Indiana is 1-1 against the spread so far this season. UCLA failed to cover in its only game this year.
- The Hoosiers are 3-0 ATS in their last three away games dating back to last season, while the Bruins are 0-3 ATS in their last three home games.
- The Under went 10-2 in UCLA’s games last season and hit again in its first game of 2024.
- Indiana played to a total of 38 points in its only game against FBS competition this year, with the Bruins finishing with a total of just 29 points in their first contest of the season.
Indiana vs UCLA betting trend to know
The Under is 7-1 in UCLA's last eight games. Find more college football betting trends for Indiana vs UCLA.
Indiana vs UCLA game info
| Location: | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA |
| Date: | Saturday, 9-14, 2024 |
| Kickoff: | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | NBC |
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