We have failed to realize how bad UCLA is because it has gone 4-3 ATS and 4-1 in its last five. But four of its five outright losses were still all by multiple possessions. Getting outscored 17-0 by LSU in the second half was hardly the sign of a strong team. Oregon simply did not care to embellish its 28-10 halftime lead. Penn St. won the second half 13-8, all eight of UCLA’s points coming with 16 seconds left. These games have not been competitive. It’s time to realize that and bask in Nebraska’s chance to reach its first bowl game in eight years. The Huskers will want that glory at home, and the Bruins are too poor at all aspects of football to keep this within a touchdown.
UCLA was idle last week while Nebraska gave Ohio State all it could handle. Hyper-analyzing that sentence is the only reason this spread is within single digits. UCLA had a nominal opportunity to enjoy a road win at Rutgers and then regroup after finally snapping a six-game losing streak. And Nebraska has to bounce back from an oh-so-close 21-17 loss on the road. Neither half of that is reason enough to believe in the Bruins, particularly not to believe in UCLA’s offensive line to hold up against Nebraska’s strong defensive front. That pressure alone should keep the Cornhuskers up by a touchdown.