The UCLA Bruins and the Cal Golden Bears meet Saturday at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN). Let's analyze college football odds around the UCLA vs. Cal odds and make our expert college football picks and predictions for the best bets.
UCLA leads the all-time series 57-36-1. This is the first meeting since Cal pounded UCLA 33-7 in the final Pac-12 meeting between these institutions on Nov. 25, 2023. The most recent meeting in Berkeley resulted in a 35-28 win by UCLA on Nov. 25, 2022. Cal has lost the past 2 home games, last beating UCLA at home on Nov. 26, 2016 in a 36-10 rout.
UCLA looks for vast improvement in 2026, as head coach Bob Chesney looks to take this team back to its
lofty heights after a stop at James Madison. Can he be the next Curt Cignetti? Former Dukes RB Wayne Knight looks to be his star on offense. The biggest key will be unlocking QB Nico Iamaleava, making him effective again.
Cal is expected to the middle-of-the-road in the ACC (that's still hard to get used to!). QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele looks to take another step forward, and he is potential one of the better signal callers in the conference. However, his new offensive line needs to jell. The defense has a lot of new faces, and that's a good thing, as Cal allowed 31.5 points per game in conference play, and that simply will not do.
– Rankings: US LBM Coaches Poll, conducted by the American Football Coaches Association and USA TODAY Sports
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UCLA at Cal odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 8 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): UCLA -135 (bet $135 to win $100) | Cal +110 (bet $100 to win $110)
- Against the spread (ATS): UCLA -2.5 (-108) | Cal +2.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 53.5 (O: -108 | U: -110)
UCLA at Cal picks and predictions
Prediction
UCLA 27, Cal 24
Moneyline
UCLA (-135) might actually be a better play on the moneyline if the line gets to a flat 3. If it stays at 2.5 points, then forget the moneyline and lay the little bit of points.
Against the spread
The difference for UCLA -2.5 (-108) is in the backfield, as Knight has the chance to be a different maker. The risk with UCLA is whether the 2025 version of Iamaleava shows up or if the Bruins get the effective Iamaleava we saw at times during his tenure at Tennessee. Sagapolutele has the tools to hang with the Bruins, but it might take time to jell with his new receivers.
Over/Under
UNDER 53.5 (-110) is the lean, but don't carried away. Neither of these teams has players capable of taking it to the house every time they touch the ball. Both offenses should be a little more methodical.
Best prop bet
WAYNE KNIGHT - OVER 59.5 RUSHING YARDS (-112 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Again, we've talked up Knight, and the Delaware-born senior is expected to shine in his UCLA debut. The last time we saw him, he was going for 110 yards against Oregon on Dec. 20, 2025, in an CFP first-round playoff game. He had fewer than 74 rushing yards at JMU in just 1 of his final 12 games last season.
Betting odds calculator
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Follow Daniel Dobish on X at @danieledobish. Follow SportsbookWire on X at SportsBookWire and on Facebook.
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This article originally appeared on Sportsbook Wire: UCLA Bruins at Cal Bears odds, picks and predictions
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