The California Golden Bears and UNLV Rebels meet in the Art of Sport LA Bowl on Wednesday night. The Golden Bears finished up their season losing 2 of their last 3 games and a 6-6 record. The Rebels lost in the Mountain West Championship game and sit with a 10-3 season record. They are currently 3 point favorites with this California vs. UNLV matchup set to kick off at 9:00 p.m. ET.
Game Matchup & Betting Odds
California Golden Bears (+3) at UNLV Rebels (-3) o/u 47.5
9:00 p.m. ET, Wednesday, December 18, 2024
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
TV: ESPN
Public Betting: Public Bettors Backing Rebels
As of this writing, our CFB Public Betting page shows that 71% of bets are on UNLV. That said, this page is updated frequently so make sure that you click on the link provided so that you’re getting the most updated information.
California Golden Bears
The Golden Bears ended their season with a 38-6 loss to SMU. Chandler Rogers got a surprise first start of the season with Fernando Mendoza ruled out late with an illness. He completed 8 of 15 pass attempts for 84 yards. He was eventually pulled for CJ Harris, who completed 6 of 11 pass attempts for 75 yards and an interception. Jaydn Ott managed just 37 yards on 13 carries. Mendoza, who remained questionable with illness, has since announced he is entering the transfer portal so we will most likely see the Rogers and Harris duo have another run at it.
UNLV Rebels
The Rebels went to Boise to take on the Broncos in the Mountain West Championship where they lost 21-7. Hajj-Malik Williams completed 13 of 28 pass attempts for 110 yards and an interception. He also rushed the ball 21 times for 56 yards. The defense allowed 209 yards and a touchdown to Ashton Jeanty. Hajj-Malik Williams has completed 62% of his passes this season for 17 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. He also averaged 5.5 yards per carry and had 9 rushing touchdowns. Head coach Barry Odom has moved on to Purdue and assistant Del Alexander will lead the team against Cal. Offensive coordinator Brennan Marion will also be absent as he will most likely make the move to coach at Sacramento State.
California vs. UNLV Betting Trends
California is 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games
The UNDER is 10-5 in California’s last 15 games
UNLV is 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games
The UNDER is 4-2 in UNLV’s last 6 games
California vs. UNLV Prediction:
I’m on the Rebels here to win and cover the 3 point spread. UNLV has lost their head coach and offensive coordinator but most of the players will be suiting up on Wednesday, including quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams who has been dominant all season. The Rebels ranked 26th in points per game scoring 33.3. Meanwhile the Cal Bears ranked 72nd scoring 25.6. They will not have their starting quarterback and will be working with two guys who combined for 159 yards and an interception in their last game. They will also struggle to run against a Rebels defense ranking 19th allowing 3.5 yards per rush attempt. I don’t think California will be able to keep up with the Rebels in this matchup.
California vs. UNLV Prediction: UNLV -3