UCLA Bruins vs Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Betting Pick & Prediction 8/31/24

UCLA is the heavy favorite in this week one non-conference matchup against Hawaii, with the point spread set at -12.5. The game is scheduled for 7:30 ET on Saturday, August 31st, and will be broadcast on CBS. The over/under line is currently at 55.5 points. This will be the first game of the season for both teams, and the money line odds are -570 for UCLA and +387 for Hawaii. The game will be played at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu.

UCLA BRUINS VS HAWAII RAINBOW WARRIORS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Hawaii Rainbow Warriors +12.5

This game will be played at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex at 7:30 ET on Saturday, August 31st.

WHY BET THE HAWAII RAINBOW WARRIORS:

• We have the UCLA Bruins winning this one by a score of 29 to 26
• Even though we like the UCLA Bruins to win, our ATS pick is to take the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at +12.5
• We see this game finishing below the line of 55.5 points

Will The UCLA Bruins Win As Road Favorites?

UCLA is coming off a season in which they finished with an 8-5 overall record. The Bruins were 4-2 at home and 4-3 on the road, and they were favored in 10 of their 13 games. As underdogs, UCLA went 2-1, while they finished 6-4 as the favorite. Heading into this season, UCLA is ranked 40th in our pre-season power rankings, with a 50.9% chance of being bowl-eligible.

However, their chances of winning the Big Ten are slim, with just a 0.3% chance based on our pre-season analysis. In the futures market, UCLA is listed at +16666 to win the Big Ten, with an implied probability of 1%, which is the 12th worst odds out of the 18 teams in the conference.

UCLA’s passing game last season was ranked 59th in the country, averaging 229.2 yards per game. The Bruins were more effective on the ground, finishing 18th in rushing yards per game, with an average of 198.9 yards. Overall, they ranked 53rd in the nation in scoring, putting up 26.5 points per game. Last season’s quarterback, Ethan Garbers, threw for 1,136 yards and 11 touchdowns, finishing with a passer rating of 107 and a completion percentage of 67.1%.

Heading into this season, T.J. Harden returns as the top rusher for UCLA, having put up 827 yards and eight touchdowns last year. The Bruins have also added Jalen Berger from Michigan State to their backfield. In the receiving corps, Logan Loya is the top returning player, with 655 yards and five touchdowns last season. UCLA will look to improve their 58% completion percentage, which ranked 69th in college football last season.

UCLA’s defense was strong against the run last season, allowing just 83.8 rushing yards per game, the 8th best mark in the nation. Overall, they allowed 18.4 points per game, which ranked 11th in the country. However, their pass defense was a weakness, giving up 220.8 passing yards per game. Opposing quarterbacks completed 60.5% of their passes against UCLA last year.

Are The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Going Win In At Upset At Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex

Heading into the season, Hawaii has the 9th best odds out of 12 teams in the Mountain West to make it to the conference final, with the betting markets placing them at +2000 (5%) to achieve this. The Rainbow Warriors are ranked 112th in our pre-season power rankings, with a 52.2% chance of being bowl-eligible and a 1.8% chance of winning the Mountain West.

Last season, Hawaii finished with a 5-8 record, going 1-5 on the road and 4-3 at home. They were the underdog in 10 out of their 13 games. This season, the futures market has them at +4140 to win the Mountain West. Despite this, we give them a 52.2% chance of being bowl-eligible this season.

Brayden Schager returns as Hawaii’s top quarterback after throwing for 3,542 yards and 26 touchdowns last season. He completed 63.1% of his passes but also threw 14 interceptions, finishing with a passer rating of 88.1. Schager will be looking to improve his decision-making this season to help the Rainbow Warriors be more efficient on offense.

Last season, Hawaii’s offense averaged 21.4 points per game, ranking 80th in the country. They were 80th in third down conversion percentage (37.2%) and struggled to establish a running game, finishing with just 76.3 rushing yards per game, which was 126th nationally. The passing game, however, was a strength, with Hawaii averaging 276.4 passing yards per game. Steven McBride, who had 1,024 receiving yards and nine touchdowns last season, returns as a key target for Schager.

On the defensive side of the ball, Hawaii had a tough time stopping the run last season, giving up 171.6 rushing yards per game, which ranked 128th in the nation. Overall, they allowed 32.2 points per game. While their pass defense was better, ranking 73rd in passing yards allowed, opponents found a lot of success on the ground against them.