LSU vs UCLA Odds, Lines and Picks
- No. 16 LSU (0-0) face UCLA (1-0) on the road at 8:30 pm ET Saturday on FOX
- UCLA dominated Hawaii 44-10 in its Week 0 game, while LSU opens the 2021 campaign trying to put last season’s 5-5 record behind it
- See game odds, analysis and a prediction by scrolling below
Chip Kelly hopes to carry the momentum of his first non-conference victory as the UCLA head coach into an even bigger one in Pasadena Saturday. The Bruins blew out the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors 44-10 in their season opener, but now welcome perennial SEC power LSU to the Rose Bowl for the Tigers’ first-ever visit to the storied venue.
Kelly’s Bruins are field goal underdogs to a Bayou Bengal team that figures to be better than last year’s 5-5 group that struggled following the program’s third national championship in the last 18 seasons. Head coach Ed Orgeron’s group practiced in Houston this week after being displaced from Baton Rouge by Hurricane Ida.
The spread opened with LSU as 3.5-point road favorites, but shortened slightly after UCLA’s resounding victory over Hawaii.
LSU vs UCLA Odds
| Team | Spread at DraftKings | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSU Tigers | -3 (-110) | -150 | O 65 (-110) |
| UCLA Bruins | +3 (-110) | +130 | U 65 (-110) |
Odds as of September 3rd
Breakout Bruin?
UCLA football fans have been patient with Kelly (after he chose the program over Florida and Tennessee) following a 10-21 start. But there was optimism heading into Year 4 of the Kelly Era because of 19 starters returning – not including Michigan transfer Zach Charbonnet at running back. Those starters and Southern California native Charbonnet did not disappoint against Hawaii. The junior had 106 yards rushing and three touchdowns on the ground, on only six carries!
The focal point of the UCLA offense is senior quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who was underwhelming against Hawaii. The senior was only 10-for-20 for 130 yards and a touchdown in the 34-point win. Of course, when you have Charbonnet averaging 17.7 yards/carry, you don’t need to throw much. Plus, the defense put plenty of pressure on versatile quarterback Chevan Cordeiro – sacking him twice and picking him off twice. But LSU will certainly tackle better than Hawaii did last week.
If DTR can pick his spots against the best corner tandem in college football, the slow rebuild Kelly has been overseeing in Westwood will have officially arrived.
Bounce Back Bengals
As for LSU, it’s hard to know what the Tigers will be in 2021. Coach O’s squad figures to be closer to the 2019 title team that took the college football world by storm vs. last year’s .500 group that struggled with the departure of a record 14 players to the NFL. Saturday will provide a decent first test.
We know a pair of promising freshman skill position players won’t suit up. Running back Armoni Goodwin is out of action, as is wide receiver Malik Nabers. With Goodwin out, the rock-toting responsibilities will fall to veterans Tyrion Davis-Price and John Emery Jr. Meantime, uber-talented Kayshon Boutte will be quarterback Max Johnson’s primary target without Nabers. Even Johnson is a mystery.
Ed Orgeron: "We had our best practice of the whole camp yesterday (at NRG Stadium)."
Also asked about Max Johnson. O says "I just hope he finds Kayhson Boute. If he does that, he'll be fine." #LSU
— Harrison Valentine (@HValentineLSU) September 1, 2021
Two things we do know about LSU are Derek Stingley Jr. and Eli Ricks. Stingley, a junior, is the best corner in college football and is a projected top-five pick in next year’s NFL Draft. Cut out of the same mold as former LSU standout Tyrann Mathieu, Stingley is also a threat in the return game.
Two-time All-American @JrStingley wins @KirkHerbstreit’s Herbie Award for most exciting player.
In 22 games:
⚡️ 65 tackles
⚡️ 6 Ints
⚡️ 21 passes defended pic.twitter.com/tNSZ9bCR72— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) August 27, 2021
He has been dealing with a calf injury that could slow him down a bit Saturday – but Stingley’s raw talent is next-level good. Then there’s Ricks, a Rancho Cucamonga native who returns to the Southland Saturday after earning Freshman All-American honors in 2020 and was a third-team Associated Press All-America selection.
Even with UCLA’s wealth of experience, the veteran group will face perhaps the strongest secondary in the nation.
Intangibles Could Be the Difference
What will LSU’s collective state of mind be Saturday after seeing Hurricane Ida pummel Louisiana, after the storm forced the team to practice in Houston this week? Will Coach O – the one-time interim USC head coach who was run out of Trojan Land following a 35-14 loss to UCLA eight years ago – have revenge on his mind against his old crosstown rival?
Ultimately, this game should be a hard-hitting early-season treat. One program appears to be on the rise, while another is trying to regain recent glory, with some current key players either missing or banged up.
Expect a lot of this, right up until UCLA beats LSU https://t.co/gIWeuimjDO
— Jon Wilner (@wilnerhotline) August 28, 2021
If this game is played a month from now, LSU is a lock. But the leveled playing field has me leaning toward the home team with a stout defense being the difference. The under is a solid play in this spot, but the Bruins feel like an upset special.
- The pick: UCLA +120 (ML)
Blair Johnson is a veteran journalist and seasoned sports content creator. He has been writing and producing content as long as he can remember, with such familiar names as CNN, NFL Media and Yahoo. Blair currently lives and works in the greater Los Angeles area.
