2014
UCLA
College Football
Betting Preview
Schedule and Odds
UCLA has its sights set on big things this season for obvious reasons. Stud quarterback and Heisman hopeful Brett Hundley returned for his junior season and he does it all for the offense. They bring back 18 starters from a 10-win squad and have talent on both sides of the ball. The Bruins know that a Sun Bowl win is not enough for them in 2014.
If we use the odds as a guide, the Bruins have a very realistic chance to at least make it to the 4 team playoff this year. They are listed at odds of 14 to 1 at sportsbook.ag to win the National Title which places them at 6th overall.
Hundley is a complete beast leading the team in 2013 with 3,071 passing yards, 24 TDs, nine INTs and a 67.2 completion percentage. And of course, he also led them on the ground with 748 yards and 11 TDs. Hundley still has room for improvement and if he does make that leap, watch out. Paul Perkins (573 yards, 6 TDs) and Jordon James (534 yards, 5 TDs) return in the backfield so that’s a huge plus. The offensive line is also back in full with incoming transfer Malcolm Bunche of Miami in the fold as well.
Shaq Evans is gone from the passing Game, but the Bruins still have plenty of talent at receiver that it shouldn’t matter. Devin Fuller, Jordan Payton and Devin LUcien all proved themselves more than capable last season, and Thomas Duarte could break out as well.
The defense is loaded and new coordinator Jeff Ulbrich (former LB coach) already knows the players. Myles Jack is only a sophomore after winning freshman of the year in the Pac-12 on both sides of the ball (played RB late last season). They have studs on every level. Eddie Vanderdoes and Ellis McCarthy provide depth and can plug the running holes. Jack combined with Eric Kendricks are great at linebacker. Safeties Anthony Jefferson and Randall Goforth lead the secondary. This group doesn’t have a ton of seniors, but experience is not missing.
The Schedule is another story for UCLA as two of their non-Conference Games come on the road and the final one is in Texas. On the other end of that, if they can get through those Games with three wins, they’ll be ready for that Pac-12 slate which opens at Arizona State (a team they lost to at home last season).
While this hardly seems like good news, the Bruins get to face Oregon, USC and Stanford all at home this year. Last year they had to face the Ducks and Cardinal in back-to-back road Games. OUtside of that road Game with the Sun Devils, UCLA will also find Washington tough on the road, but that should be it. Their home Schedule is a bit tougher.
Even if the Bruins do lose two Games, with this Schedule they could still have a chance at making the College Football Playoff. If Hundley can make do without Shaq Evans, this team has all the pieces to beat anyone in the country. They just have to put them together.
2014 UCLA Football Schedule
Aug. 30 at Virginia
Sept. 6 vs. Memphis
Sept. 13 at Texas (in Arlington)
Sept. 25 at Arizona State
Oct. 4 vs. Utah
Oct. 11 vs. Oregon
Oct. 18 at California
Oct. 25 at Colorado
Nov. 1 vs. Arizona
Nov. 8 at Washington
Nov. 22 vs. USC
Nov. 28 vs. Stanford