5 Best Bowl Picks Against The Spread, December 15 Games: 2. UCLA vs Boise State
Oct 28, 2023; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Ethan Garbers (4) throws the ball against the Colorado Buffaloes in the first half at Rose Bowl.
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Best Bowl Picks Against The Spread: No. 2
Starco Brands LA Bowl: UCLA vs Boise State
Line: UCLA -4.5
Prediction: UCLA
Boise State vs UCLA Bowl Preview, Prediction
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4. Starco Brands LA Bowl: UCLA vs Boise State Point Total
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1: Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: Cal vs Texas Tech
As I mentioned in the early call of this game going under, WOW do I hate diving in deep on UCLA.
And why?
The team barely made it to the stadium over the last month of the season - except to crank up for the win USC - and now it’s going to be jacked about a December 16th bowl game?
I’m not trying to couch any of these too much, but this is going to be one weird bowl season. I’m driving right through the smoke and wreckage and hoping to come out clean on the other side. I’m trying to act confident about it.
UCLA might be missing a slew of guys, but I do think there will be a bit of a renewed energy to this bunch. Ethan Garbers should be fine at QB, the overall starting 22 is good enough, and …
Boise State freshman QB, Boise State freshman QB, Boise State freshman QB.
It’s the first start for CJ Tiller, and while it’s not exactly going to be a hostile environment - or any sort of an environment - it’s UCLA in the LA Bowl in SoFi.
I’m really, really trying to read teams and get the “do they care?” vibes from those in the know, and for the most part it seems like this Bruin bunch isn’t mailing it in.
I’m probably putting way too much stock in how much new Arkansas QB Taylen Green meant to the Broncos, and it’s hard to go against a team that scored 30 or more in ten of the last 11 games with the outlier a 27-19 win over Air Force, but …
UCLA. I’m going with THAT D over the freshman QB.
(BTW, I’m telling everyone who asks … DO NOT GO HARD on any of these early bowl games. It’s a very, very long bowl season that’s going to play a lot like an NFL preseason.)
And then there’s my No. 1 …
NEXT: No. 1 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: Cal vs Texas Tech
