Preview: UCLA at BYU - Sept. 13, 2008

By Dr. Vegas

This game kicks off at 3:33pm Eastern on September 13, 2008 in Provo, Utah. BYU is favored by 8 after an opening line of 10.5. The total is 46 after an opening line of 45.

UCLA opened the season on Sept. 1 as a 7.5-point dog with a strong outright win over then-18th-ranked Tennessee, 27-24. They had last weekend off.

BYU is playing in its third game of the season, though the blowout opener against Northern Iowa was more of a practice. Their last game was a nail-biter 1-point win in a game they were favored to win by 8 points over Washington.

These teams played twice last year. In week 2 of the season, UCLA scored a convincing 10-point win. But the game most etched in all players minds is the 17-16 BYU win in the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl last December 22. The Bruins were set up for a game winning field goal on the 11-yard line with three seconds left. A mere chip shot. That is… until BYU lineman Eathyn Manumaleuna got a hand on the ball, blocking the kick and sealing the game as time ran off the clock.

UCLA sits just outside of college top 25, 13 votes behind West Virginia. 18th ranked BYU showed vulnerability in its close match with Washington last week, and fell 3 spots in the national rankings.

UCLA’s first two games have come against the 18th-ranked team in the nation. Can they unseat the Cougars this week?

The Bruins are rested, ready, confident, and have had lingering memories of that blocked shot for the past 9 months. It’s not that they “can” or “can’t” win. It’s that they feel they must win.

Take the Bruins +8 over BYU.