Holiday Bowl: UCLA vs. NC State odds, picks and prediction
The UCLA Bruins (8-4) meet the No. 18 NC State Wolfpack (9-3) Tuesday at the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl at Petco Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the UCLA vs. NC State odds and lines, and make our expert college football picks, predictions and bets.
The Bruins finished the regular season on a three-game win and cover streak, going for 42 or more points in each of the outings. UCLA is 5-2 straight up (SU) and 5-2 against the spread across the past seven games.
The Wolfpack capped off its season with a two-game win streak over Syracuse and rival North Carolina. NC State scored 27 or more points in each of its past 10 games, and 11 of 12 outings overall.
Rankings courtesy of the AFCA Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
UCLA vs. NC State odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 5:15 a.m. ET.
- Money line: UCLA +105 (bet $100 to win $105) | NC State -130 (bet $130 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): UCLA +2.5 (-115) | NC State -2.5 (-107)
- Over/Under (O/U): 59.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
PLAY: Free, daily sports pick'em contests.Play now!
UCLA vs. NC State odds, lines, picks and predictions
Get some action on this matchup at Tipico Sportsbook, a trusted, global sports-betting leader and Sportsbook Wire's official betting partner.
Place your legal, online sports bets in CO and NJ at Tipico now. IA, Tipico is coming to your state soon! New customer offer: Deposit $10 or more, get $100 in instant bet credits! 21+, see Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. Bet now!
Prediction
UCLA 41, NC State 38
Money line
UCLA (+105) will have a much larger following due to its proximity to Los Angeles. NC State will travel well for the cross-country game but will likely be outnumbered by quite a bit.
The Bruins finished strong with QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson taking a large step forward, and this UCLA squad should finish its season on a high note with a win over a ranked team.
Against the spread
Play UCLA +2.5 (-115) in what will essentially be a home game. The Bruins have covered five of the past seven games overall, while also going 5-2 ATS in the previous seven as an underdog.
NC State has a tremendous rush defense, but it can be had in the pass game.
Over/Under
The OVER 59.5 (-110) is the best option on the board. It's shocking that the line is so low. NC State averaged 33.1 points per game (PPG) this season, while UCLA was good for 36.5 PPG to rank 16th in the country.
The Bruins' Thompson-Robinson and Wolfpack QB Devin Leary are going to light it up in what is traditionally one of the higher-scoring bowl games of the postseason schedule.
This might be the best bet for the entire bowl season.
Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire's official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and, soon, IA. Bet now!
If you're looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter and SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / USC / Wisconsin / College Football News
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).