This week's picks

Nevada vs. UCLA Prediction and Pick, Week 9 2026

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Data updatedOct 31, 2026
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Picks two teams at random. Any FBS team can come up.

How we picked it

How we picked it

Three ratings look at a team in three different ways. The numbers' pick is the team at least two of them favor.

Where the game is won

Where the game is won

Each row puts one team's unit against the unit it faces, by national rank out of all FBS teams. An edge is a gap of 25 spots or more.

Ratings: SP+ via CFB Update; PRIME via primecfb.com. Box and play stats computed from CollegeFootballData.com play data (via the public cfbfastR files), FBS games only for scoring. Rushing yards here exclude sacks, so they run higher than official totals. Ranks are out of 138 FBS teams.

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Nevada at UCLA

Week 9, Sat, Oct 31, 4:15 PM ET, Rose Bowl.

The numbers say: UCLA, 89% to win.

The game

KickoffSat, Oct 31, 4:15 PM ET
TVBTN
WhereRose Bowl
Weather64°, cloudy, wind 3 mph
LineUCLA −22.5, total 43.5
Line movementOpened UCLA −23.5; moved 1 point toward Nevada. Total opened 48.5, down 5.
SeriesUCLA leads 1–0
Last meetingUCLA 58–20 in 2013
Nevada injuriesCarter Jones (QB), questionable
UCLA injuriesIamaleava (QB), out for season

The ratings and the line

MarginWin chanceTotal
SP+UCLA by 20.092%43
PRIMEUCLA by 16.488%
EloUCLA86%
The lineUCLA −22.5, opened −23.543.5, opened 48.5

Margins include home field. SP+ is Bill Connelly's rating; Sources has PRIME and Elo. Line and total from DraftKings, as of Fri, Oct 30, 7:43 PM ET.

Who wins, Nevada or UCLA?

The numbers say: UCLA. 89% chance to win

Which matchups decide Nevada vs. UCLA?

All three ratings favor UCLA, by 16.4 to 20.0 points, and it isn't close. UCLA's best matchup is its offensive line, 2nd in line yards per carry, against Nevada's run-stopping front at 112th. Nevada's way back in is its pass protection, 31st in sacks allowed per dropback, against UCLA's pass rush at 67th. We left out the edges built on Iamaleava, who's out.

Nevada with the ball

UCLA with the ball

Who's out for Nevada and UCLA?

Nevada

UCLA

How Nevada and UCLA compare, in charts

Each chart puts all 138 FBS teams on two stats; Nevada and UCLA are lit. Dashed lines are the FBS averages, and up and right is better. Ranks in parentheses. Games through Oct 24, 2026.

How Nevada's and UCLA's players compare

The scatter charts show the top 40 FBS players at the position by both stats combined, plus the players lit here. Dashed lines are the averages; up and right is better. Ranks are among every FBS player at the position with enough snaps. Takeaways are interceptions plus fumble recoveries. Games through Oct 24, 2026.

How do SP+, PRIME and Elo rate Nevada and UCLA?

On a neutral field, SP+ has UCLA 17.5 points better (17th to 89th). PRIME also has UCLA ahead, by 13.9. Elo, which only sees results, also has UCLA ahead (30th to 79th).

NevadaUCLA
SP+ overall-3.1 (89th)14.4 (17th)
SP+ offense20.9 (107th)31.5 (38th)
SP+ defense24.6 (55th)17.1 (19th)
SP+ special teams0.5 (4th)-0.1 (80th)
PRIME net-0.2 (71st)13.7 (17th)
PRIME offense-3.18 (91st)3.92 (38th)
PRIME defense3.71 (39th)8.57 (15th)
PRIME SOS-10.7 (137th)-0.7 (51st)
PRIME SOR-2.2 (120th)3.4 (2nd)
Elo1448 (79th)1709 (30th)

Opponent-adjusted power ratings. These drive the projection.

Who's better once you adjust for the schedule?

Nevada's offense ranks 75th in adjusted EPA per play, and the UCLA defense it faces ranks 1st in EPA per play allowed. UCLA's offense ranks 41st against Nevada's 80th-ranked defense. The matchup that decides it is UCLA's offense against Nevada's defense. The biggest edge on the board is UCLA's offensive line in the run game: 2nd in adjusted line yards per carry, against Nevada's 112th-ranked defense. That's a mismatch. Adjust for opponents and Nevada's offense climbs from 100th to 75th in EPA per play: it has done its work against good defenses.

NevadaUCLA
EPA per play (adjusted)+0.10 (75th)+0.15 (41st)
EPA per pass (adjusted)+0.17 (90th)+0.17 (83rd)
EPA per rush (adjusted)+0.08 (54th)+0.13 (17th)
Success rate (adjusted)40.0% (89th)46.1% (22nd)
Success rate, standard downs (adjusted)45.4% (93rd)50.6% (21st)
Success rate, passing downs (adjusted)30.9% (62nd)30.4% (71st)
Explosiveness (adjusted)0.96 (31st)0.91 (116th)
Line yards per carry (adjusted)2.78 (120th)3.28 (2nd)
Open-field yards per carry (adjusted)1.30 (27th)1.53 (5th)
EPA per play allowed (adjusted)+0.12 (80th)−0.07 (1st)
EPA per pass allowed (adjusted)+0.18 (64th)+0.04 (3rd)
EPA per rush allowed (adjusted)+0.09 (94th)−0.06 (3rd)
Success rate allowed (adjusted)39.4% (33rd)35.6% (7th)
Explosiveness allowed (adjusted)0.93 (66th)0.89 (7th)
Line yards allowed per carry (adjusted)3.10 (112th)2.76 (18th)
Open-field yards allowed per carry (adjusted)0.98 (25th)0.89 (12th)

The same efficiency numbers, adjusted for the offenses and defenses each team has faced (CollegeFootballData.com). A good number against a soft schedule shrinks; one against a hard schedule grows.

Who's more efficient, Nevada or UCLA?

Nevada is better running (63rd in EPA per rush) than throwing (117th). UCLA's run defense ranks 1st, so the defense has the better of it. UCLA is better running (22nd in EPA per rush) than throwing (100th). Nevada's run defense ranks 77th, so that's an edge.

NevadaUCLA
EPA per play+0.07 (100th)+0.16 (57th)
EPA per pass+0.07 (117th)+0.11 (100th)
EPA per rush+0.11 (63rd)+0.20 (22nd)
EPA per 3rd-down play+0.54 (47th)+0.55 (43rd)
EPA per play allowed+0.08 (63rd)−0.18 (1st)
EPA per pass allowed+0.14 (59th)−0.11 (2nd)
EPA per rush allowed+0.08 (77th)−0.21 (1st)
EPA per 3rd-down play allowed+0.28 (35th)0.00 (3rd)

Expected points added per play, from CollegeFootballData.com. EPA measures how much each play changes the points a team can expect from the drive. Zero is break-even; +0.20 is very good. Not adjusted for opponents.

Who scores more, Nevada or UCLA?

Nevada outscores FBS opponents by 4.3 a game, and UCLA by 19.1. Nevada's offense ranks 88th in scoring, and the UCLA defense it faces ranks 11th in points allowed. UCLA's offense ranks 36th against Nevada's 53rd-ranked defense. Neither side of the ball has a clear edge.

NevadaUCLA
Points scored26.3 (88th)34.4 (36th)
Points allowed22.0 (53rd)15.3 (11th)

Per game, FBS opponents only.

Which offense has the edge?

Nevada has no clear edge here. Its best is yards per carry, 38th, against a defense ranked 8th in yards per carry allowed. UCLA's best matchup is its run game: its offense ranks 21st in yards per carry, and Nevada's defense ranks 64th in yards per carry allowed.

NevadaUCLA
Pass yards / game181.0 (116th)215.0 (85th)
Rush yards / game183.1 (48th)234.7 (12th)
Yards per play5.61 (105th)7.09 (16th)
Yards per carry5.60 (38th)5.97 (21st)
Yards per attempt5.87 (126th)9.41 (15th)
Completion %51.4% (123rd)71.9% (21st)
Success rate39.9% (106th)50.2% (13th)
Explosive play rate11.0% (99th)14.2% (30th)
3rd down conversion38.4% (81st)51.7% (9th)
Sack rate (taken)4.0% (31st)5.3% (68th)
INT rate (thrown)3.7% (118th)3.8% (120th)
SUPLEX49.5% (113th)66.5% (11th)

Per game and per play, from play-by-play.

Which defense has the edge?

Nevada's defense is best placed to get home: it ranks 11th in sack rate, and UCLA's offense is middle of the pack at avoiding sacks (68th). UCLA's defense is best placed to pick off passes: it ranks 10th in interception rate, and Nevada's offense is bottom-20 at avoiding interceptions (118th). That's a mismatch.

NevadaUCLA
Pass yards allowed / game154.1 (6th)180.7 (22nd)
Rush yards allowed / game163.0 (91st)101.6 (6th)
Yards per play allowed5.25 (31st)4.33 (2nd)
Yards per carry allowed4.71 (64th)3.54 (8th)
Yards per attempt allowed6.58 (48th)5.29 (6th)
Success rate allowed39.7% (54th)30.9% (2nd)
Explosive plays allowed9.5% (26th)8.6% (10th)
3rd downs allowed30.6% (18th)23.5% (2nd)
Sack rate (generated)9.4% (11th)6.3% (67th)
INT rate (generated)0.6% (136th)5.0% (10th)
SUPLEX allowed50.9% (46th)43.5% (10th)

What opponents managed against them.

Who wins up front?

UCLA has the better number in 10 of 12. The biggest gap is stuff rate (defense), where UCLA ranks 17th and Nevada 122nd.

NevadaUCLA
Big Uglies: offensive line45.2 (107th)60.5 (8th)
Big Uglies: defensive front48.9 (76th)56.9 (22nd)
Line yards per carry2.95 (88th)3.51 (7th)
Line yards allowed per carry3.17 (111th)2.55 (16th)
Second-level yards per carry1.24 (23rd)1.22 (30th)
Open-field yards per carry1.48 (31st)1.90 (11th)
Stuff rate (runs stopped at or behind the line)21.4% (114th)13.9% (18th)
Stuff rate (defense)14.5% (122nd)23.5% (17th)
Power success (short yardage)63.6% (117th)75.0% (53rd)
Power success allowed61.8% (21st)71.4% (71st)
Front-seven havoc allowed8.2% (42nd)7.0% (21st)
Front-seven havoc8.5% (96th)12.2% (21st)

The lines. Big Uglies is our rating for each offensive line and each defensive front: adjusted line yards (30%), stuff rate (20%), power success (15%), sack rate (20%) and front-seven havoc (15%), against every FBS team. 50 is average, and every 10 points is a standard deviation. Line stats from CollegeFootballData.com, garbage time out.

Who wins the turnover battle?

UCLA is +1.6 in turnover margin a game and Nevada is −1.3. At about five points a turnover, that's roughly a 14-point edge for UCLA. Turnover margin rarely holds from one month to the next, so don't count on it. Fumble recoveries are mostly luck, and UCLA's takeaways lean on them (1.4 of 3.1 a game).

NevadaUCLA
Interceptions thrown / game1.14 (121st)0.86 (84th)
Fumbles lost / game0.57 (74th)0.71 (99th)
Giveaways / game1.71 (117th)1.57 (107th)
Interceptions / game0.14 (136th)1.71 (3rd)
Fumbles recovered / game0.29 (94th)1.43 (1st)
Takeaways / game0.43 (135th)3.14 (2nd)
Turnover margin / game-1.3 (132nd)+1.6 (4th)

Per game, from play-by-play.

Which team has more talent?

UCLA has the more talented roster (25th in the 247Sports talent composite; Nevada is 118th). UCLA also plays further above its talent: +7.4 points of SP+ beyond what its roster predicts, to Nevada's +4.0.

NevadaUCLA
Talent composite550.0 (118th)774.5 (25th)
Blue-chip ratio3.0% (109th)22.1% (35th)
Players on roster103 (119th)120 (17th)
Rated by 247Sports66 (111th)95 (10th)
5-star players0 (37th)1 (24th)
4-star players2 (106th)20 (34th)
3-star players58 (85th)74 (14th)
Below 3-star6 (20th)0 (113th)
2026 transfers in18 (97th)43 (8th)
Transfer share27.3% (77th)45.3% (25th)
SP+ vs. talent+4.0 (44th)+7.4 (27th)
Returning production35.5% (77th)57.0% (48th)
Returning passing production-130.0% (134th)54.7% (65th)
Returning rushing production-11.8% (126th)86.1% (32nd)
Returning receiving production41.2% (63rd)33.8% (73rd)
2026 recruiting class (national rank)98 (98th)62 (62nd)
Recruiting rank, last four classes105.0 (111th)58.8 (60th)

247Sports team talent composite and 2026 transfer portal class. Star counts cover only the players 247Sports rates, not walk-ons, so they add up to less than the full roster. Ranks are out of all 138 FBS teams.

Which roster costs more?

NevadaUCLA
Roster value— ()$26.8M (20th)
Roster cost per win— ()$3.8M (14th)
Projected wins per $1M— ()0.34 (21st)
SP+ vs. payroll— ()+2.9 (24th)

NIL roster value from The NIL Standard (power-conference teams plus Boise State and Oregon State). Ranks are out of 70 teams with a valuation.

Where did each team's wins come from?

Nevada is −0.5 wins against a .500 team; the biggest piece is luck (−1.9). UCLA is +3.5 wins against a .500 team; the biggest piece is luck (+1.4). Nevada's record is 1.9 wins worse than its play on bad luck, so it's better than the record says.

NevadaUCLA
RECEIPTS (total)-0.5 (89th)+3.5 (1st)
Schedule RECEIPTS+1.8 (7th)+0.2 (82nd)
Roster RECEIPTS-0.7 (113th)+0.9 (19th)
Coach RECEIPTS+0.3 (56th)+1.0 (24th)
Luck RECEIPTS-1.9 (137th)+1.4 (5th)

Where the wins came from. Every team starts as a .500 team. Then each win (or loss) goes to the schedule, the roster, the coaching or luck, and the four add up to the real record. Wins above or below a .500 team.

Nevada at UCLA: questions people ask

Nevada vs. UCLA prediction: who will win?

The numbers pick UCLA, 89% chance to win. All three ratings favor the same team. UCLA's best matchup is its offensive line, 2nd in line yards per carry, against Nevada's run-stopping front at 112th.

Where can I watch Nevada vs. UCLA, and what time is it?

Sat, Oct 31, 4:15 PM ET at Rose Bowl. It's on BTN.

What's the projected score of Nevada vs. UCLA?

SP+ projects UCLA 31–11. That's from this season's SP+ offense, defense and special teams ratings, with home field worth 2.5 points.

What's the line for Nevada at UCLA?

DraftKings has UCLA −22.5, total 43.5. The numbers pick winners, not bets.

What's the Nevada vs. UCLA series history?

UCLA leads 1–0. Last meeting: UCLA won 58–20 in 2013.

Who are the players to watch in Nevada vs. UCLA?

Nevada: Carter Jones (666 passing yards), Dominic Kelley (578 rushing yards) and Gary Givens III (305 receiving yards). UCLA: Iamaleava (992 passing yards), Wayne Knight (582 rushing yards) and Semaj Morgan (383 receiving yards). Season totals through Oct 24, 2026.

Who are the quarterbacks in Nevada at UCLA?

Nevada's is Carter Jones (666 passing yards this season); UCLA's is Iamaleava (992 passing yards this season).

Who's out for Nevada at UCLA?

Nevada: Carter Jones (QB), questionable. UCLA: Iamaleava (QB), out for season.

More on this game

Numbers through the games of Oct 24, 2026. SP+ as of Oct 27, 2026. Updated every week.

Nevada and UCLA: team pages with every stat and national rank. Compare any two teams.