Vegas opens with Cal as underdogs to UC L.A.

For the final game of the regular season, the California Golden Bears (6–5, 3–5 Pac-12) will travel to visit the UC Los Angeles Bruins (4–7, 4–4 Pac-12). Vegas hath decreed with the baby bears favored by 2.5 pts, basically saying we’re equal teams on a neutral field. Taken together with an over/under of 48.5, this means they’re predicting a 26–23 win for Chip Kelly.

The Bruins lead the series 54–33–1 and have the advantage in recent history, winning five of the past six; the real Bears haven’t won since Jim Mora was still the head coach and were absolutely clubbered last year, 37–3. With yesterday’s loss to USC, the inferior UC is guaranteed to fall short of a bowl this year and are on a two-game losing streak—will they find motivation to play on Saturday in their post-Thanksgiving season finale? On the flipside, the flagship university of California won our rivalry game against Stanfurd (you may have heard) to earn bowl eligibility; this game is needed to sweeten our bowl invite, but can we avoid a post–Big Game letdown?