There should be fireworks when the 19th-ranked Washington State Cougars host the UCLA Bruins in their Pac-12 opener Saturday night in Pullman. Washington State boasts the nation's leader in passing yards in Anthony Gordon, and he leads an offense ranked sixth in the nation in total offense at 567 yards per game. UCLA is adapting in its second season under coach Chip Kelly and is looking for its first win after giving up 95 points in its first three games. Kickoff is set for 10:30 p.m. ET at Martin Stadium. The Cougars are favored by 17.5 points in the latest UCLA vs. Washington State odds, and the over-under for total points scored is 60. Before you make your UCLA vs. Washington State picks, be sure to see the college football predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times, and those who have followed it have seen huge returns. Over the past four years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning $5,310 profit for $100 bettors on its top-rated spread picks.
The model enters Week 4 of the 2019 college football season on a roll, going 30-10 on its top-rated picks. It also called Kentucky (+9.5) covering against No. 9 Florida and No. 5 Oklahoma (-23.5) covering against UCLA in Week 3. Anybody who has been following it is way up.
Now, it has broken down UCLA vs. Washington State, and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning under, and it also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60 percent of simulations. You can only see that pick at SportsLine.
The model has taken into account that Washington State is loaded with upperclassmen, including Gordon, a senior who leads the nation with 1,324 passing yards and 12 TDs. Gordon gets plenty of time to look downfield behind a veteran line, and the Cougars are loaded with talent at receiver. Brandon Arconado leads the way with 23 catches for 308 yards, and four other receivers have at least 10 receptions. That stout line also can open holes for the running game when the Cougars aren't airing it out. Running back Max Borghi has 202 yards on just 26 carries and four touchdowns.
The Cougars piled up 489 yards in last week's win against Houston and are 7-0 against the spread in their last seven games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
But just because the Cougars can pile up the yards and points doesn't guarantee they will cover the Washington State vs. UCLA spread on Saturday night.
Kelly has a talented signal-caller in Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who has passed for 556 yards and five TDs this season. Thompson-Robinson has a legitimate threat in speedy Demetric Felton, who has 13 catches for 171 yards and leads the team in rushing with 164 yards. Felton has proven he can make big plays, with a 75-yard touchdown reception in Week 1 against Cincinnati and a 42-yard run in last week's loss to Oklahoma. Bruins running back Joshua Kelley is off to a slow start after missing much of preseason camp with a knee injury, but rushed for 1,243 yards last season and can break out at any moment.
The UCLA defense also is trying to find its footing, but there is talent to work with. Senior linebacker Keisean Lucier-South could return to his leadership role after missing the start of the season on suspension due to academics. He led the team with 11.5 tackles for loss and four sacks last season. Plus, the underdog is 5-0 against the spread in the last five meetings, and the road team is 5-1 in the last six.
So who wins Washington State vs. UCLA? And which side of the spread hits in almost 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the UCLA vs. Washington State spread to back on Saturday night, all from the advanced model on a 30-10 run.
