Coastal Carolina vs UCLA Odds, Lines & Predictions

Saturday night college football on ESPN features Coastal Carolina vs UCLA, with kickoff set for 10:30 PM ET at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

The latest Coastal Carolina vs UCLA odds have the Bruins listed as 15.5-point favorites, with the game total over/under listed at 66.5 points. This is the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Read below for Coastal Carolina vs UCLA odds, lines and predictions for this late-nate college football game.

Coastal Carolina vs UCLA Odds

The Moneyline odds are -700 for UCLA and +500 for Coastal Carolina. In terms of implied probability, UCLA has an approximate 87.5% chance of winning the game outright, while Coastal Carolina has around a 16.7% chance.

Odds as of September 2nd, 2023 at FanDuel Sportsbook. Browse the available sports betting apps for Saturday night college football. 

Chanticleers Led by McCall

Coastal Carolina finished with a 9-4 record in 2022 and ranked 1st in the Sun Belt – East. Their quarterback, Grayson McCall, had an impressive season, passing for 2,700 yards. The Chanticleers’ top rusher was CJ Beasley, who accumulated 717 rushing yards, while their leading receiver was Sam Pinckney with 996 receiving yards.

McCall, Beasley, and Pinckney are all back in the fold for the Chanticleers this season, in addition to a returning veteran offensive line. Coastal Carolina’s offense ranked 53rd in passing yards (246.2) and 62nd in rushing yards (159.2).

Coastal Carolina Top Returning Player Stats

On the defensive side, JT Killen led the team with 95 tackles, and Tavyn Jackson had 2 interceptions. Their defense ranked 38th in rushing yards allowed (133.8) and 125th in passing yards allowed (284.5). The passing defense is experienced, but they need to limit the big plays.

During the 2022 college football season, the Chanticleers covered the spread four times in 13 matchups and hit the over in eight out of 13 games.

Can Bruins Overcome Loss of DTR?

UCLA finished the 2022 season with a 9-4 record and ranked 5th in the Pac-12. Their quarterback, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, passed for 265.2 yards per game, ranking 35th in the nation. With DTR now in the NFL, the team turns to a QB trio of Ethan Garbers, Dante Moore and Collin Schlee, who are all expected to play Saturday.

The Bruins’ rushing attack was particularly strong last year, averaging 238.2 yards per game and ranking 6th nationally. The Bruins must overcome the loss of top RB Zach Charbonnet, but they do bring in Ball State transfer Carson Steele, who rushed for 1,556 yards and 14 scores last season

On defense, UCLA allowed 129.9 rushing yards per game (ranking 47th) and 265.2 passing yards per game (ranking 35th) last season. 32 points five times in the last seven games, which proved costly. UCLA might have the best linebacker group in the nation led by Darius Muasau (361 career tackles).

In the 2022 season, UCLA had a 6-7-0 record against the spread and hit the over in 10 of their games. When favored by 15.5 points or more, the Bruins had an ATS record of 3-3.

Coastal Carolina vs UCLA Prediction

Coastal Carolina’s strength lies in their passing game, led by quarterback Grayson McCall. However, they will face a challenge against UCLA’s defense, which has been effective in limiting opponents’ passing yards. The Chanticleers will need to find success on the ground to keep the Bruins’ defense honest and open up opportunities for their passing attack.

On the other hand, UCLA’s potent rushing attack could exploit Coastal Carolina’s weaker run defense. If the Bruins can establish a strong ground game, it will help set up their passing game and keep the Chanticleers’ defense off balance

Given the experience that Coastal Carolina returns, they offer solid value to stay within two touchdowns on Saturday Night Football. The Chanticleers are 10-0 in their last 10 September games, and we like Tim Beck’s team to keep this one competitive.