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Colorado Buffaloes open as heavy favorites against the UCLA Bruins

The Buffs look to move to 4-0 on Friday night.

By Anthony Kazmierczak
NCAA Football: Colorado at UCLA Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Buffaloes (3-0) will open conference play Friday night as heavy favorites against the UCLA Bruins (0-3). Per a tweet from BuffStampede.com publisher Adam Munsterteiger, the Buffaloes opened as 11 ½ point favorites over Chip Kelly’s winless Bruins.

A potent offense is typically a staple of Chip Kelly led teams, but the Bruins have struggled so far this season. UCLA’s offense ranks 115thnationally (last in the Pac-12) averaging just 319.7 yards per game, 175.7 yards less than Colorado. One reason for UCLA’s offensive struggles could be the number of blue-chip recruits that have left the Bruins after Jim Mora Jr. was fired last November following a loss to USC. UCLA leads the all-time series with Colorado 10-3, including a 27-23 victory over the Buffs in Pasadena last year. Since joining the Pac-12 conference, the Buffaloes have only defeated the Bruins once, a 20-10 penalty-filled victory in 2016.

Both the Bruins and Buffaloes are coming off a bye week. UCLA is 1-2 against the spread this season, their lone cover a Week two 49-21 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners. Colorado is 2-1 against the spread, failing to cover 37 ½ points in a 45-14 win over New Hampshire in Week three.

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