Iowa Hawkeyes vs. UCLA Bruins Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 8th 2024

Preview and Prediction

UCLA makes its long-awaited return to Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena this Friday, after almost a month of absence. The team is riding high on the momentum of its first winning streak in 2024, as they prepare to face off against Iowa in a Big Ten Conference matchup.

The Bruins (3-5, 2-4 Big Ten) sandwiched their Oct. 26 bye week with two impressive road wins over Rutgers (35-32) and Nebraska (27-20). Quarterback Ethan Garbers has been a key player in their recent success, showing significant improvement in his passing game.

Garbers has thrown six touchdowns without a single interception, a stark contrast to his start to the season where he threw picks in each of the first five games and multiple interceptions in three of those five.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz praised Garbers' performance during his Tuesday media availability, saying, "He's thrown the ball well and efficiently, getting it to a lot of different players, including the [running] backs."

The Bruins have a well-rounded receiving corps, with five players having at least 15 receptions. Running back T.J. Harden leads the pack with 27 catches, while Logan Loya has made 20 catches, three of which resulted in touchdowns. Overall, eight different Bruins have caught passes for scores this season.

During his Tuesday media availability, Bruins coach DeShaun Foster acknowledged that they are still working on their run game, but have been able to make crucial runs when needed. However, UCLA currently ranks last in the nation in rushing offense, averaging only 73.9 yards per game. They will face a tough challenge against Iowa's defense, which is ranked 18th in the nation and allows an average of only 106.3 rushing yards per game.

The Hawkeyes are led by linebacker Jay Higgins, who has 94 tackles this season, ranking fourth among all FBS players. Their defense has been a key factor in their success, as they enter the Rose Bowl for the first time since their appearance in the 2016 Rose Bowl Game against Stanford.

Iowa (6-3, 4-2) is also riding a two-game winning streak, with convincing wins over Northwestern (40-14) and Wisconsin (42-10) in the past two weeks. However, their success has been limited to home games, where they have a record of 5-1 and an average margin of victory of 27.8 points per game. On the road, the Hawkeyes have struggled, losing their last two games by double-digit points.

This week's game is a unique challenge for Iowa, as they travel to the West Coast on a short turnaround. Ferentz, who previously coached at Maine in the early 1990s, joked that the flight to Los Angeles is a breeze compared to the 10-hour bus trips they used to make for games. "The weather will probably be a little better, too," he added.

Overall, both teams are looking to continue their winning streaks and improve their conference records. It will be an exciting matchup between two talented teams at the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium.

PREDICTION

Iowa Hawkeyes

UCLA Bruins