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- Indiana hosts UCLA in College Football Week 9
- The No. 2-ranked Hoosiers look to stay undefeated after playing the Bruins
- See our UCLA vs Indiana Spread, Prediction and Picks for Big Noon Kickoff
Both the Hoosiers and Bruins are familiar with flipping the script. Ever since Curt Cignetti arrived in Bloomington, that’s been the story for the entire Indiana football program.
As for UCLA, they’ve done a complete 180 following the dismissal of DeShaun Foster, who was fired after an 0-3 start this season. Since interim coach Tim Skipper took over, the Bruins have gone 3-1.
Will UCLA have enough firepower to keep pace with Indiana’s explosiveness on both sides of the ball? Let’s find out with our UCLA vs Indiana spread, prediction and pick for Big Noon Kickoff.
UCLA vs Indiana Spread
The UCLA vs Indiana spread heavily favors the Hoosiers at -26.5, reflecting Indiana’s dominant season and home-field advantage. The massive moneyline (-4500 for Indiana) shows oddsmakers’ confidence in the undefeated Hoosiers continuing their perfect run.
The total of 52.5 points suggests a moderate-scoring affair for this Big Noon Kickoff matchup.
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook as of 11:45 pm ET on Oct. 24. Read our FanDuel Review, or check out betting sites with PayPal.
UCLA vs Indiana Prediction
- Spread Prediction: Indiana -26.5 (-110)
My prediction is that Indiana covers the large number. It’s quite apparent that the Hoosiers are for real. Those doubts and questions were answered after they went into Eugene, Oregon, and overcame Dan Lanning and the Ducks 30-20.
But what about the Bruins? Are they as good as their current three-game win streak suggests?
There’s no question they’re improved since DeShaun Foster’s departure. The Bruins have plenty of talent – they just needed direction and stability, which they’ve found under Tim Skipper.
Still, that doesn’t make them contenders. Their recent wins came against a struggling Penn State team led by the inconsistent Drew Allar, and the head coach at the time, James Franklin, has since been terminated. Following that, UCLA carried its momentum into East Lansing and defeated the Spartans 38-13 – a team that now sits at 3-4. Then, last week at home, they narrowly beat Maryland 20-17.
It’s a nice turnaround for UCLA, but I’m not fully sold. Removing Foster helped them unlock more potential, but this is still an underwhelming group overall – and that should be exposed Saturday in Bloomington for our UCLA vs Indiana prediction.
Cignetti has built Indiana into a focused, disciplined team that rarely overlooks opponents. He understands that one slip-up could cost them a playoff bid, and he won’t allow that to happen at home against an inferior Bruins team.
The numbers back it up: Indiana ranks first nationally in Net EPA per play and fourth in both offensive and defensive success rate. Meanwhile, UCLA sits 114th in Net EPA per play, 132nd in defensive success rate, and 51st on offense.
The hope for UCLA’s offense was that Tennessee transfer Nico Iamaleava would provide a massive spark. He’s had his moments, but even during this three-game winning streak, he’s thrown for over 180 yards just once and holds a 65% completion rate on the year.
He’ll need to play out of his mind in Bloomington if the Bruins have any chance to keep pace with Heisman hopeful Fernando Mendoza.
The junior Cal transfer has been sensational, throwing for 1,755 yards with 21 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Mendoza has been remarkably consistent and will look to pad his stats – and strengthen his Heisman resume – against an overmatched UCLA defense in this Big Noon Kickoff showdown.
UCLA Bruins vs Indiana Hoosiers Picks
Beyond the massive statistical and coaching advantages, there’s also a situational edge favoring the Hoosiers. Traveling from the West Coast to the Midwest for an early kickoff has historically challenged these newly added Big Ten programs.
The weather won’t be harsh, but the travel and 9 a.m. Pacific Time start certainly won’t help UCLA when considering the UCLA vs Indiana spread.
The spread sits between -26 and -27. Since I’m backing the favorite, I’ll take the best number available at -26 (-110).
I rarely look to lay massive spreads in conference play, but I’m not buying into the “hype” of UCLA’s three-game winning streak. Expect Cignetti’s group to keep their foot on the gas and deliver a statement win on Saturday afternoon for Big Noon Kickoff.
- Best Bet: Indiana -26 (-110)
