[tps_title]UCLA at Utah[/tps_title]
[tps_header]1:30 p.m., Fox[/tps_header]
UCLA (7-3, 4-3) AT
UTAH (8-2, 5-2)
1:30 p.m., Fox
Pointspread: Utah favored by 1 point
— The game opened as a pick ’em.
— Utah was in control of its own destiny in the Pac-12 South but everything changed with a 37-30 double-overtime loss to Arizona last Saturday. Gone is the division lead — Utah is now tied with USC. Gone is control — both USC and UCLA can earn a berth in the Pac-12 title game by winning out. Gone are the playoffs — it’s highly unlikely that any two-loss Pac-12 team will be placed in the final four.
— The biggest goal for the Utes now is their first conference title since joining the Pac-12 in 2011 and first appearance in the Rose Bowl. A January bowl would be just the third in school history since 1939. First, though, Utah has to defeat both UCLA and Colorado in the last two weeks of the regular season. Then it needs USC, which holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Utes, to lose to either Oregon or UCLA in the final two weeks. Finally, Utah would need to win the Pac-12 championship game.
— UCLA hurt its hopes of a conference title game berth with last week’s 31-27 home loss to Washington State on a field goal with three seconds to go. Whereas Jim Mora said he was happy with how his team came out energized for practice this week despite the disappointment, there were mixed emotions Monday as the Utes tried to move on.
— Utah has one of the better defenses in school history with a quarterback in Travis Wilson who holds the school record for starts and touchdowns and a running back in Devontae Booker who holds the school record in yards per game. Disappointing for Utah, however, is that Booker is out for the rest of the regular season with a knee injury.
— Being at home would seemingly help Utah’s cause, having gone 5-0 in Salt Lake City. The Bruins, however, relish going on the road, where they have won 11 of 12 — the lone loss coming to then-No. 15 Stanford on Oct. 15.
— These teams have split four meetings since the Utes joined the Pac-12, though UCLA leads the all-time series 10-3. The Bruins may need another big game from freshman quarterback Josh Rosen. He had his fourth 300-yard effort in five games last week and was not intercepted for a fourth consecutive game but also didn’t have a touchdown pass for the first time.
UCLA is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
UCLA is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of UCLA’s last 10 games
UCLA is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Utah is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Utah is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Utah’s last 5 games
Utah is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games at home
My pick: UCLA will win and cover
Steve Rivera’s pick: UCLA will win and cover
Anthony Gimino’s pick: UCLA will win but Oregon will cover
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