UCLA vs. Utah Week 9: How to Watch, Game Info, Betting Odds
The Bruins will hit the road to Visit the Utes this weekend with the division, fan support and potentially job security on the line.
WHO: UCLA vs. Utah
DATE: Saturday, Oct. 30
TIME: 7 p.m. PT
LOCATION: Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT
TV: ESPN – Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Rod Gilmore (analyst), Stormy Buonantony (sideline reporter)
STREAMING: fuboTV – Get 7-day Free Trial
RADIO: AM 570, XM Ch. 386, SXM App 976 – Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Matt Stevens (analyst), Wayne Cook (sideline reporter)
SPREAD: Utah -5.5 (-110), UCLA +5.5 (-105)*
MONEY LINE: Utah (-225), UCLA (+195)*
OVER/UNDER: O 60.5 (-105), U 60.5 (-110)*
UCLA did not appear in the AP or Coaches Poll top 25 this week following its loss to Oregon, although it did earn a few points from the press and is a few spots out from the official rankings. Utah, which had been ranked as high as No. 21, has been out of the rankings for over a month.
The Bruins have opened their season 5-3, covering the spread in all five of their wins and failing to cover in each of their losses. On the road, UCLA is 3-0 straight up and 3-0 against the spread.
Utah is 4-3 to start 2021, dropping its first game of the conference slate to Oregon State last weekend. The Utes have just two wins against the spread this year.
Four of UCLA's eight contests this year has resulted in 61 or more combined points. Utah has also seen two of its six games exceed that mark..
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who held the No. 1 passer rating in the Pac-12 heading into last weekend, has fallen to No. 6 after the loss to the Ducks. Thompson-Robinson was also injured in the fourth quarter of that game and has been limited at practice this week, meaning backup Ethan Garbers – a former four-star recruit and transfer from Washington – could start in his place if need be.
Running back Zach Charbonnet and Brittain Brown had their worst combined output of the year, but they still combine to create the most productive backfield duo in the conference. Both ball-carriers rank in the top 5 in the Pac-12 for yards per attempt and total yards.
Receiver Kyle Philips, even after missing the Washington game two weeks ago, still leads the Pac-12 in touchdown catches and ranks fifth in yards and sixth in catches. Tight end Greg Dulcich is in the top 10 in both categories as well.
Linebacker Bo Calvert and defensive lineman Datona Jackson both rank inside the conference's top 10 in tackles for sacks, while edge rusher Mitchell Agude is still tied for the top spot in the nation in forced fumbles with four. Safety Qwuantrezz Knight leads the Bruins in tackles and tackles for loss with 42 and 5.5.
UCLA averages 33.3 points per game while allowing 26.3.
Utah is averaging 31.9 points per game, ranking No. 42 in the country. Its defense, which is allowing 25.4 points per game, ranks just No. 67.
Quarterback Cameron Rising is leading the way for the Utes, having become the starter. Rising boasts a 147.4 passer rating, which is good for No. 4 in the Pac-12, and he has a total of 13 touchdowns to two interceptions.
Running back Tavion Thomas is the lead man in the backfield with 57.9 yards per game and six touchdowns on 5.2 yards per carry. Without a catch all season, Micah Bernard stands out as the change-of-pace and third-down back, with 15 receptions, 112 yards and a touchdown through the air to go along with his 281 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Rising has also rushed for 237 yards on over 7 yards per carry.
Through the air, Rising has been spreading the ball pretty evenly between receiver Brittain Covey and tight ends Brant Kuithe and Dalton Kincaid. The trio has combined for 739 yards and eight touchdowns on 72 receptions.
Utah will be without perhaps the top defensive player in the conference to start the game Saturday, as linebacker Devin Lloyd is suspended for the first half due to a targeting penalty called against him last week. Lloyd leads the Pac-12 in tackles for loss and ranks second in total tackles and sacks. Defensive lineman Mike Tafua leads the conference with 5.5 sacks on the season, while Clark Phillips III has one interception and a team-best six passes defended.
UCLA owns the all-time head-to-head series with Utah 11-7, although it has lost each of the last four matchups, three of which in blowout fashion. The Bruins haven't beat the Utes since Josh Rosen's freshman year in 2015, squeezing out a win in a 17-9 slugfest.
Most recently, UCLA lost to Utah 49-3 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in 2019, a loss that mathematically eliminated them from Pac-12 South contention. While a loss this time around wouldn't make winning the division completely impossible, the odds would be dangerously close to zero should that situation present itself.
*Odds via SI Sportsbook
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