UCLA vs Pittsburgh Odds, Pick and Prediction – Sun Bowl 2022
- UCLA and Pittsburgh meet for the first time since 1972 in the Sun Bowl on Friday, December 30
- No. 18 UCLA is a 5.5-point favorite over the Panthers in El Paso, Texas
- Read below for UCLA vs Pittsburgh odds, analysis and prediction
No. 18 UCLA (9-3) is a 5.5-point favorite over Pittsburgh in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, at 2 pm ET Friday on CBS. The Bruins would tie the program record for wins in a season with a victory. They have not won a bowl game since beating Kansas State 40-35 in the Alamo Bowl following the 2014 season.
Pittsburgh (8-4) won its last four regular-season games entering its fifth Sun Bowl appearance and first since 2018, when it fell 14-13 to Pac-12 Stanford. The Panthers will be without starting quarterback Kedon Slovis and top running back Israel Abaniknada.
Let’s dive into the betting odds and offer you our UCLA vs Pittsburgh prediction.
Pittsburgh vs UCLA Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Panthers | +5.5 (+100) | +188 | Over 53.5( -105) |
| UCLA Bruins | -5.5 (-122) | -230 | Under 53.5 (-115) |
Odds from FanDuel on Dec. 27. Unlock the FanDuel promo code for UCLA vs Pittsburgh.
UCLA is a 5.5-point favorite over Pittsburgh in the 14th meeting of the teams, the first since 1972. The Bruins are 6-6 ATS this season and are 1-2 SU and 0-3 ATS in their last three to fall out of the Pac-12 race. The total has gone over in nine of UCLA’s 12 games, tied for third-most in the FBS. The Bruins have not seen a total this low all season.
The Pac-12 is 12-26 SU and ATS in bowl games since 2016, including its first two this year.
Pittsburgh is 5-7 ATS and is 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS in the last four. The Panthers are 0-3 as an underdog. The over is 8-3-1.
UCLA Expected to Have Top Threats
UCLA will play without several contributors who have opted out of the game to prepare for the NFL draft or enter the transfer portal, but top offensive players quarterback Dorian Robinson-Thompson and leading rusher Zach Charbonnet have practiced all week and are expected to play. Robinson-Thompson has completed his eligibility, while Charbonnet is projected as a third/fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft.
Mel Kiper 2023 NFL Draft Rankings RBs
1. Bijan Robinson, Texas
2. Devon Achane, A&M
3. Jahmyr Gibbs, Bama
4. DeWayne McBride, UAB
5. Blake Corum, Michigan
6. Zach Charbonnet, UCLA
7. Tyjae Spears, Tulane
8. Kendre Miller, TCU
9. Chase Brown, Illinois
10. Roschon Johnson, Texas— CFB Home (@CFBHome) December 14, 2022
Charbonnet has 1,359 yards rushing and is fourth in the FBS at 135.9 yards rushing per game. He has eight 100-yard games and did not play in two others. Charbonnet leads the nation in all-purpose yards at 168 per game for an offense that averages 39.6 points per game, 10th in the FBS.
Robinson-Thompson passed for 2,883 yards and 25 touchdowns with seven interceptions and rushed for 631 yards and 11 touchdowns. The most notable opt-out is wide receiver/running back Kazmeir Allen, who had 200 all-purpose yards while filling in for Charbonnet in a 50-36 victory over Arizona State on Nov. 5.
Punter/placekicker Nicholas Barr-Mira also will not play after entering the transfer portal.
Defense is the Bruins’ weakness. They have given up 137 points in their last four games and rank 88th in FBS in total defense, giving up 399.8 yards per game.
Pittsburgh Leans on New Faces
The Panthers will have a new look on offense — starting quarterback Kedon Slovis has committed to BYU after entering the transfer portal and leading rusher Israel Abaniknada opted out to prepare for the NFL draft. Senior Nick Patti is expected to start for Slovis, who passed for 2,397 yards with 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Patti played in two games this season. Sophomore Nick Yarnell also will see time, coach Pat Narduzzi said.
Pitt players skipping the Sun Bowl and entering the NFL Draft:
DE Deslin Alexandre
LB SirVocea Dennis
S Brandon Hill
RB Izzy Abanikanda
OT Gabe HouyDT Calijah Kancey will miss due to injury.
— Amanda Godsey (@AmandaFGodsey) December 19, 2022
Abaniknada rushed for 1,436 yards and 20 touchdowns and is expected to be replaced by Rodney Hammond Jr., who had 129 yards from scrimmage in the season opener against West Virginia before missing the next six weeks with a foot injury. He had a career-high 124 yards rushing against Syracuse in his third game back.
Week 1 Performance
RB Rodney Hammond Jr – Pitt
• 74 rushing yards 2 TDs
• 2 rec 55 yards pic.twitter.com/KjkJ4H1APB— NCAAF Nation (@NCAAFNation247) September 7, 2022
The Panthers also will be without several key defenders, opt-outs in linebacker SirVocea Dennis and safety Brandon Hill and injured All-American lineman Calijah Kancey, who had a team-high 7.5 sacks. Dennis had seven sacks and an interception.
UCLA vs Pittsburgh Prediction
UCLA had a disappointing finish to an offense-first season, losing consecutive games to Arizona and USC in mid-November to fall out of contention for the Pac-12 title and a potential CFP Final Four berth. That seldom leads to a motivated performance in a lesser (no offense) bowl game.
Monitor Thompson-Robinson and Charbonnet. With them, the Bruins have superior offensive weapons. Pitt will be without so many of its top players that it seems unlikely it can exploit UCLA’s leaky defense.
- Pick: UCLA -5.5 (-122)
- Season CFB: 49-47 ATS
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Jack has covered college and professional sports for various Arizona media outlets since the 1980s and has written for the Associated Press, USA Today and Baseball America, among others. He staffed the 2015-17 World Series and has staffed four Super Bowls.
