UCLA vs Michigan State Prediction: Can Bruins Prove They’re For Real?

How To Watch UCLA vs Michigan State

Saturday, October 11, 2025
Game Time: 12:00 PM ET
TV: BTN
Location: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI

Predicting Every Remaining Game
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | SEC
Group of Five Teams, Pac-12, ND
@PeteFiutak

Why UCLA Will Win

Could it really have been as simple as Tim Skipper as the head coach and Jerry Neuheisel as the offensive coordinator?

Nico Iamaleava really is a next-level talent, and he showed it off with his brilliant performance against Penn State, completing 71% of his throws with two touchdowns and no picks. He also ran for 128 yards and three scores.

Finally - finally - the Bruin offense played with confidence and an attitude. 9 was one of the best players on the field - he will be the best in this - and the coaching staff put him in a position to turn it loose.

Michigan State's defense is too leaky. It's awful on third downs, bad against decent quarterbacks, and that's only surpassed by an offensive front that can't keep anyone from camping out in the backfield. But ...

Why Michigan State Will Win

UCLA flew to Chicago to play Northwestern, flew back to LA, dealt with Penn State and all that went into pulling off the shocker, and now it has to fly back to East Lansing for a 9:00 am PST start. That's a lot of moving parts for a three-week run.

Michigan State has playmakers and talent in spots, but it doesn't have the infrastructure. It's not great at bashing away with the ground game, and it blew it late against Nebraska with mistakes, but there are playmakers.

As great as the Penn State win was, UCLA has an impossible time dealing with quarterbacks who get into a groove.

Everyone but Northwestern connected on at least 70% of their passes against this Bruin D, there's no pass rush to be concerned about, and the run defense has been a rumor. So ...

Can Aidan Chiles Be the Best Quarterback On The Field?

Talent-wise? No. Soon, everyone will get that Iamaleava has the upside to be, as sacrilegious as this might seem, Jayden Daniels lite. However, Michigan State's Aidan Chiles has all the tools to be terrific.

The Spartan offense is a bit banged up, but Chiles still has a great receiving corps to work with, the backs just need a little room to move, and the main man under center has to quickly get past the miserable performance against Nebraska.

Even with the Penn State win, UCLA's defense should be the cure for that in a very, very entertaining game that might fly under the early game radar.

UCLA vs Michigan State Prediction, Betting Lines

Michigan State 34, UCLA 26
Line: Michigan State -8.5, o/u: 55.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
Must See Rating: 3

Consensus Line from BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

- CFN Rankings