Trent Reinsmith
- What: UCLA Bruins (No. 9) vs. Oregon Ducks (No. 10)
- Date: Saturday, October 22, 2022
- Location: Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon
- Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: FOX
As the 2022 NCAA Football season enters Week 8, there are two teams with undefeated conference records in the Pac-12. Those teams. The UCLA Bruins and the Oregon Ducks face off on Saturday in Eugene, Oregon. Both squads are 3-0 in the Pac-12 this NCAAF season. The Bruins are 6-0 overall, while the Ducks have a 5-1 overall mark entering Week 8.
UCLA is the No. 9 team in the most recent AP Top 25 Poll. The Bruins rose from the No. 11 spot during the team’s bye week. In Week 6, the Bruins posted a 42-32 win over Utah. The week before, the Bruins topped Washington by a score of 40-32. Washington and Utah were both ranked inside the top 15 before losing to the Bruins. UCLA was unranked at the start of the 2022 NCAA Football season. The Bruins broke into the Top 25 in Week 6 when they landed at No. 18.
Oregon opened the 2022 NCAAF season as the No. 11 ranked team. A blowout 49-3 loss in the opening game dropped the team out of the Top 25. A 70-14 win over Eastern Washington in Week 2 got the team back in the mix at No. 25. Since then, the Ducks have climbed the rankings. Oregon is coming off a Week 6 win over Arizona. The Ducks had off in Week 7.
Before we look at the Week 8 NCAAF matchup between the UCLA Bruins and the Oregon Ducks, check out the current NCAAF betting opportunities and our guide to betting on the 2022 NCAAF National Championship.
UCLA Bruins (No. 9) vs. Oregon Ducks (No. 10) picks
| Teams |  |  |  |  |  |
| UCLA Bruins (No. 9) | +190 | +190 | +190 | +200 | +180 |
| Oregon Ducks (No. 10) | -220 | -230 | -230 | -235 | -224 |
UCLA breakdown
The Bruins are led by senior quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who has racked up 15 touchdowns against two interceptions this year. In his past three outings, Thompson-Robinson has had completion percentages of 83.6, 72.7 and 78.3. His overall passing rate of 74.8 percent leads the Pac-12 in 2022. Against Utah, Thompson-Robinson threw for a season-high four touchdowns.
The Bruins overall offense is third in the Pac-12 for the 2022 NCAAF season with an average of 505.7 yards per game. The team averages 294.2 yards in the air, which is good for third in the conference and 211.4 yards on the ground. The team is second in rushing in the Pac-12. UCLA has the number two rusher in the Pac-12 in Zach Charbonnet. The senior running back has 615 yards on the ground to go with six touchdowns.
UCLA’s defense has allowed the fewest yards per game in the Pac-12 at 344.8. The team is near the middle of the conference in passing defense, giving up an average of 245.8 yards per game, but they are one of two teams (the Ducks are the other) who surrender fewer than 100 yards per game on the ground at 99. UCLA junior linebacker, Laiatu Latu, has the second most sacks in the conference this year at 6.5.
Oregon breakdown
Oregon’s senior quarterback Bo Nix has numbers that are very close to Thompson-Robinson’s. Nix is second in the Pac-12 in completion percentage at 70.4 and he’s thrown for 1,526 yards. Nix has tossed 12 touchdown passes and been intercepted three times. He is the only Pac-12 QB who has been sacked only once.
The Ducks have the top offense in the Pac-12. The team averages 512.5 yards per game. Oregon’s passing game averages 270.8 yards per outing, while its rushing is by far the best in the conference at 241.7 yards per game. Three Ducks players are inside the top-11 rushers in the Pac-12. Running back Bucky Irving has 429 total yards, and his teammate in the backfield, Noah Whittington, has gained 336 yards on the ground. The other player on that list is Nix, who has 331 yards rushing in the 2022 NCAAF season.
Oregon’s defense is fifth in the conference, surrendering an average of 373.3 yards per game. The club has the worst passing D in the Pac-12, giving up 275.3 yards per game. However, the Ducks have the top rushing defense in the conference, giving up just 98 yards on the ground per outing. DJ Johnson is in the top five in sacks in the Pac-12, with four this season.
Our pick
If the Ducks had a more robust passing defense, they would be the pick here, but the team has not been great in stopping the pass. With that, I think the best bet in this week 8 NCAAF matchup is to go with Dorian Thompson-Robinson to do some damage with his arm and get the win for the UCLA Bruins.
Pick: UCLA Bruins to beat the Oregon Ducks during Week 8 of the NCAA Football season.
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