UCLA Bruins Travel to Rocky Top in NCAA Football Betting Clash with Tennessee Volunteers
By Mike Rose • Sep 11th, 2009 • Category: NCAAF
UCLA Bruins
(1-0/1-0 ATS)
(+10) |
 |
Tennessee Volunteers
(1-0/1-0 ATS)
(-10) |
Rocky Top will be bursting with anxious energy when the Tennessee Volunteers look to follow up last week’s impressive debut of the Lane Kiffin era when they welcome in the UCLA Bruins to Neyland Stadium for a PAC 10 – SEC college football betting battle. The
Vols have been tagged 10-point home favorites with a game ‘total’ of 44.5 by JustBet Sportsbook oddsmakers for this afternoon’s game.
UCLA’s offense was dreadful to watch a year ago as it ranked 109th in the nation in scoring. It took the young unit some time to get going against the Aztecs, but once it did, it got the job done. QB Kevin Prince became the second freshman to ever start at QB for the Bruins. He completed 18 of 29 passes for 176 yards and a TD, but also threw a pair of INTs. Though the stat line isn’t eye-popping, the coaching staff liked his accuracy. Sophomore RB Derrick Coleman led the team in rushing with 69 yards on just four carries with a score; the O-Line surrendered three sacks in the game and the offense coughed it up three times. After the defense settled down, it dominated limiting SDST to just 277 overall yards with just 39 coming on the ground.
If the 657 yards racked up against WKY are a sign of things to come, Knoxville is in for a treat throughout the Kiffin era. CFB bettors and fans of the Vols had become so used to the Phil Fulmer regime, that it thought it was natural to just put up a couple scores and hope to hold on. That certainly wasn’t the case on Saturday when QB Jonathan Crompton got the keys to the new car and never took his foot off the gas pedal. When it was all said and done, Crompton went 21/28 for 233 yards and tossed 5 TDs; he did throw a pair of picks as well. RBs Montario Hardesty and Bryce Brown each went over the century mark and scored a pair of TDs. The defense limited the Hilltoppers to a measly 83 yards of total offense, allowed them to convert just 1 of 11 third downs, and registered five sacks. The Hilltoppers averaged just 1.8 yards per snap – Unreal!!!
The Volunteers took awhile to get going last week, but when they did, it was something to see. The same goes for the Bruins, but they had the advantage of playing in front of their own fans, an edge they won’t have today. Kiffin has brought a swagger to Knoxville that some aren’t a fan of; guess I’m in the minority. I don’t foresee good things occurring for Frosh QB Prince in this venue, nor do I see the Bruins getting much done on the ground. Look for Tennessee’s defense to swarm and help the offense dominate time of possession. UCLA will really be up against it this afternoon against a Tennessee program that’s been waiting ever so patiently to explode. I think Kiffin’s tapped the missing ingredient, and I expect a solid showing from the Vols as they move to 2-0 both SU and ATS this season.
Selection: Tennessee Volunteers (-10)
Mike Rose is the President and chief editor of North Shore Sports, INC and has been releasing sports written content and sports handicapping information going on 10 years. He bleeds everything Chicago, but you'll also find him screaming his head off whenever his Kansas Jayhawks partake in a big game.
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