Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs Ucla Bruins Picks and Predictions October 19th 2024

At 12:00 ET, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and UCLA Bruins will face off on Saturday, October 19th, with FS1 handling the television broadcast. The game is being played at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, and the Scarlet Knights are the -4.5 point favorites at home. The over/under line is currently at 40.5 points. The Scarlet Knights come in with a 4-2 record, while the Bruins are 1-5 on the season.

UCLA vs. Rutgers Key Information

UCLA enters Week 8 with a 1-5 record, and our projections give them just a 1.1% chance of becoming bowl-eligible. They are ranked 74th in our CFB power rankings as they prepare to face Rutgers on the road.

The Bruins have been favored in only one game this season, and their average scoring margin is -14 points per game. Against the spread, they are 3-3, with a 2-1 record on the road and 1-2 at home.

UCLA’s over/under record stands at 1-5, with their games averaging 43 points. The average over/under line for their matchups has been 49.6 points, and this week’s line is set at 40.5 points.

UCLA’s offense has struggled this season, averaging just 14.5 points per game, which ranks them 97th in the nation. They are also 96th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 8. Their third-down conversion rate is low at 33.8%, and their rushing game is almost nonexistent, with only 60.7 yards per game, placing them last in the country.

Ethan Garbers leads the Bruins’ passing attack with 1,101 yards, but he has thrown nine interceptions compared to just four touchdowns, resulting in a passer rating of 66. UCLA ranks 124th nationally in passer rating. Overall, they are 85th in passing yards per game, averaging 213.3 yards.

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UCLA’s defense has been strong against the run, allowing just 93.5 rushing yards per game, ranking 16th nationally. In their recent game against Minnesota, they gave up only 41 rushing yards on 24 attempts. However, the secondary has struggled, allowing 265.7 passing yards per game, which ranks 138th in the country.

Against Minnesota, UCLA allowed 193 passing yards and two touchdowns. The Bruins’ defense also gave up 21 points in the 21-17 loss, while allowing 19 first downs. Quarterbacks have completed 70.5% of their passes against UCLA, with a passer rating of 107.7.

Rutgers enters Week 8 with a 4-2 record, ranked 64th in our power rankings. They have an 83.3% chance of becoming bowl-eligible but a 0.0% chance of winning the Big Ten. At home, the Scarlet Knights are 2-1, while they’ve gone 1-1 on the road this season.

So far, Rutgers has been favored in three of their six games, going 2-1 as the favorite. Their average scoring margin is +5.5 points per game, and they have a 3-1-1 record against the spread.

The over/under line for this week’s game is 40.5 points. Rutgers games have averaged 45.8 points, with an average over/under line of 42.9 points. Their over/under record stands at 3-2 this season.

Rutgers’ offense has leaned heavily on their rushing attack, ranking 19th in rushing attempts per game and averaging 200.7 yards on the ground. Kyle Monangai has been the focal point, rushing for 739 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 5 yards per carry. The Scarlet Knights are scoring 25.7 points per game, and they rank 59th in third-down conversions.

Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis has thrown for 1,050 yards, with eight touchdowns and four interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 78. Rutgers ranks 111th in passing yards per game, and their passing game is 80th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 8.

Despite a rough outing in their last game, where Rutgers gave up 42 points and 551 total yards to Wisconsin, their defense has been ranked 29th nationally, allowing 20.2 points per game. Against Wisconsin, they allowed 311 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns, while also giving up 240 passing yards.

On average, Rutgers has allowed 184.7 rushing yards per game and 187 passing yards, ranking 40th in the nation. Opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating of 70.5 against Rutgers, completing 58.1% of their passes.

With the over/under line set at 40.5 points, our projection is for a combined 38 points, making the under an attractive bet. The final score is expected to be 22-16 in favor of Rutgers, who are -4.5 point favorites. Rutgers is the better team, and we expect them to cover the spread as home favorites.

UCLA Seeks Second-Half Spark Against Rutgers

UCLA is hoping to end a five-game losing streak and earn its first Big Ten victory of the season when it takes on Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J., on Saturday. The Bruins (1-5, 0-4 Big Ten) have struggled to find consistency throughout the season, particularly in the second half of games, and head coach DeShaun Foster knows that needs to change if his team is going to get back on track.

UCLA’s First-Half vs. Second-Half Struggles

The Bruins haven’t won since opening the season with a 16-13 victory over Hawaii, and scoring has been a persistent issue. Despite showing promise in the first halves of games, UCLA has failed to capitalize in the second half, often letting opponents make game-winning comebacks.

In last Saturday’s game against Minnesota, UCLA went into halftime with a 10-0 lead. But the Gophers rallied, scoring a touchdown with just 27 seconds left to hand UCLA a 21-17 loss. The game marked yet another instance where the Bruins faltered down the stretch, a pattern Foster is eager to correct.

“We’re a one-half team right now,” Foster said. “I have to find a way to get these guys to come out and approach the second half like they do in the first half of games.”

This season, UCLA has been unable to score more than 17 points in any game and ranks last in the Big Ten in both average yards per game (272.8) and points per game (14.5). No other team in the conference averages fewer than 19 points per game, highlighting the Bruins’ offensive struggles.

Rutgers Aims to Rebound

On the other side of the field, Rutgers (4-2, 1-2 Big Ten) is looking to bounce back after dropping back-to-back games against Nebraska (14-7) and Wisconsin (42-7). The Scarlet Knights began the season with four consecutive wins but were soundly defeated last week by the Badgers, who racked up 549 yards of total offense, including 309 on the ground, while averaging 6.6 yards per carry.

Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai has been a bright spot for the team, leading the Scarlet Knights with 739 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 135 carries (5.5 average). Monangai’s consistency on the ground has been a key factor in Rutgers’ early success this season.

Despite Rutgers’ recent losses, head coach Greg Schiano is not underestimating UCLA.

“You can be fooled by the record; don’t be,” Schiano said. “When you look they have played a very, very competitive schedule — a really, really tough schedule — and have played and been competitive in each of the games. I think they are finding their identity as a team, and they are playing really well. So it’s going to be a huge challenge for us.”

Key Matchups to Watch

UCLA’s offense has struggled to gain traction, and running back T.J. Harden leads the team with just 166 rushing yards on 55 carries. Harden also tops the team in receiving, with 21 catches for 204 yards, indicating the limited offensive options UCLA has had to work with this season.

The Bruins will face a Rutgers defense that has allowed 369.8 yards per game, ranking 17th in the Big Ten. While this doesn’t put the Scarlet Knights among the conference’s top defenses, UCLA will still need to find a way to break through. If UCLA can’t muster more than their typical 272.8 yards per game, it could be a long afternoon for the Bruins in Piscataway.

Rutgers will likely lean on Monangai to carry the offense, especially against a UCLA team that has had trouble sustaining drives and keeping possession. If Rutgers can control the clock and grind out yards on the ground, it could prevent the Bruins from getting their offense into any sort of rhythm.

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A Season on the Line

Both teams have much at stake in this matchup. For UCLA, this game represents a chance to turn around what has been a difficult season. Foster believes that the Bruins are capable of more and insists that his team is full of fight.

“I’ve got some resilient dudes,” Foster said. “We’re going to continue to fight, and it’s going to turn around.”

For Rutgers, a win would not only halt their two-game skid but also reaffirm their place as a competitive force in the Big Ten. With a solid rushing attack and home-field advantage, the Scarlet Knights have a strong chance to keep UCLA winless in conference play. However, if UCLA can find a way to play a complete 60 minutes, the game could be much closer than expected.

Conclusion

As UCLA and Rutgers meet in what could be a pivotal game for both programs, all eyes will be on whether the Bruins can shake their second-half woes and whether Rutgers can bounce back from their recent struggles. Both teams have much to prove, and Saturday’s contest could go a long way in shaping the trajectory of their seasons.