College Football PAC-12 Title Game UCLA @ Oregon Odds, Free Picks and Predictions – PAC 12 Championship Preview

PAC 12 Championship College Football Picks and Spreads: UCLA Bruins @ Oregon Ducks 2011 NCAA Football Vegas Odds, Free Picks, and Expert Predictions on FOX 12/2/11: The inaugural PAC-12 title game will be played Friday night, but the matchup isn’t exactly noteworthy. Sure, the eighth-ranked Oregon Ducks (10-2) are a worthy representative, but they will be 31 ½-point favorites when they face the UCLA Bruins (6-6). Several factors came together to produce such a lackluster championship game, starting with the fact that the fourth-ranked Stanford Cardinal (11-1) are in the same division as the Ducks. The bigger issue was that the only team in the PAC-12 South that felt like playing decent football this season was the ninth-ranked USC Trojans (10-2), but USC is ineligible for postseason play because of the Reggie Bush fiasco. The end result is Friday’s meeting between the Bruins and Ducks, which has blowout written all over it.

Oregon is an offensive juggernaut. Chip Kelley’s spread-option attack is averaging almost 46 points per game this season, which is good enough for third in the country. The Ducks are powered by big plays, and they absolutely shred opponents on the ground to the tune of more than 290 yards per game. That total ranks fifth in the nation, and while Oregon doesn’t have to pass to win, the Ducks do throw for almost 220 yards per game. Speed kills, and the Ducks have plenty of it. Only the top-ranked LSU Tigers have contained the Ducks this season, and the Bruins aren’t anywhere close to the Tigers on the defensive side of the ball. In fact, UCLA is surrendering more than 30 points a game to opponents, and Oregon should keep the scoreboard operator bust Friday night.

Not surprisingly, the Ducks have star power to spare on the offensive side of the ball. Running back LaMichael James has more than 1,400 yards and 14 scores, and he missed almost three full games with an elbow injury. Backup Kenjon Barner has chipped in with more than 800 yards on the ground and 11 scores, and both backs average more than 6.5 yards per carry. Quarterback Darron Thomas has added 27 touchdowns through the air, and receiver De’Anthony Thomas is an explosive weapon in the passing game and on special teams.

Granted, UCLA isn’t without some talent on offense. Running backs Johnathan Franklin and Derrick Coleman have both had solid seasons, combining for 16 touchdowns and more than 1,500 yards. The duo has averaged more than five yards per carry, and the Bruins rank inside the top 30 nationally in terms of rushing yards per game. Unfortunately, a run-heavy, ball-control offense isn’t that effective without a defense to back it up. Against a quick-strike Oregon offense, the Bruins’ run game could be taken out of the equation early. If the Bruins fall behind big in the first quarter, the blowout could begin.

It’s hard not to question the focus of the Bruins as well. After all, they backed their way into the title game and are coming off a 50-0 disaster at the hands of the Trojans. UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel was fired earlier in the week, and while it would be funny to see what the school would do if the Bruins pulled the upset and made a BCS bowl, the truth of the matter is that Neuheisel is a lame duck coach facing an Oregon team that has a chance to make one last statement to voters.

This game could get ugly early, and unless the Ducks are committing a bunch of turnovers, there is no reason the PAC-12 championship should be in doubt. The Bruins have been blown out plenty of times this season, and while it might not be as bad as last weekend’s 5-point defeat to USC, the Ducks should have no trouble covering the sizeable spread. UCLA has given up at least 45 points on four occasions this year, and Oregon should make that five occasions in a big win Friday night.

Prediction: Oregon Ducks (-31 ½) Cover the Spread

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