The ACC will take on the Pac-12 at the 2022 Sun Bowl when the No. 18 UCLA Bruins battle the Pittsburgh Panthers. UCLA enters the matchup with a 9-3 record and the Bruins are making their first bowl appearance in the five-year Chip Kelly era, while Pitt is 8-4 and playing in its sixth bowl game in eight years under Pat Narduzzi. This will be the 15th time that the two iconic programs have gone head-to-head with UCLA holding a 9-5 advantage in the all-time series but it will be the first meeting between these two schools in college football in 50 years.
Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, where UCLA won the 2013 Sun Bowl and Narduzzi's squad lost the 2018 Sun Bowl. The latest UCLA vs. Pitt odds from Caesars Sportsbook lists the Bruins as 9-point favorites while the over/under is set at 54.5 points. Friday's game can be seen live on CBS and streamed live on Paramount+ with their must-have Premium plan. Friday's game can be seen live on CBS and streamed live on Paramount+ with their must-have Premium plan.
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Before making any Pitt vs. UCLA picks, you need to see the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's advanced computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on UCLA vs. Pitt and locked in its picks and CFB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several college football odds and betting lines for Pitt vs. UCLA at the 2022 Sun Bowl:
- UCLA vs. Pitt spread: Bruins -9
- UCLA vs. Pitt over/under: 54.5 points
- UCLA vs. Pitt money line: Bruins -335, Panthers +260
- UCLA: The Bruins rank third in the nation in total offense
- Pitt: The Panthers rank 16th in the nation in yards allowed per game
- UCLA vs. Pitt picks: See picks at SportsLine
- UCLA vs. Pitt streaming: Paramount+ (get 50% off your first year with code ALLYEAR)
Why UCLA can cover
The Bruins ranked third in total offense (507.8 yards per game) and ninth in scoring (39.6 points per game) this season and are expecting to be at relatively full strength for the Sun Bowl 2022. Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, running back Zach Charbonnet and wide receiver Jake Bobo all looked like potential opt-outs but all three are expected to be in the lineup on Friday.
Defensive end Laiatu Latu will also be available after posting 9.5 sacks as one of the best comeback stories of 2022. The Washington transfer suffered a potentially career-ending neck injury but was finally cleared to return to action last fall, only to be told be the Huskies that they wouldn't allow him back on the field. He entered the transfer portal and landed at UCLA and was named second-team All-Pac-12 and he'll look to wreak havoc on a Pitt offense that has been decimated by opt-outs and the transfer portal.
Why Pitt can cover
It's been a tough month for Pitt since the Panthers ended their season with a 42-16 win over Miami (FL). Starting quarterback Kedon Slovis entered the transfer portal while star running back Israel Abanikanda and ACC Defensive Player of the Year Calijah Kancey both opted out to prepare for the 2023 NFL Draft. However, you can still expect Narduzzi's squad to be disciplined defensively and to want to win the battle at the line of scrimmage to establish the run.
Pitt ranked 16th in the nation in total defense and has only allowed 58 points during its current four-game winning streak. The Panthers have also forced multiple turnovers in each of their last three games and winning that battle would go a long way toward Narduzzi's squad pulling off the upset. And Jared Wayne (55-1012-5) could be a big mismatch for a UCLA pass defense that ranked 120th in the nation this season.
How to make Pitt vs. UCLA picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total projecting a combined 68 points. The model also says one side of the spread has all the value. You can only see the model's CFB picks at SportsLine.
So who wins UCLA vs. Pitt? And which side of the spread has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college football picks, and find out, and don't forget to stream on Paramount+, where you can get half-off your first year with promo code ALLYEAR.
