UCLA, San Diego State Renew Rivalry With Both Programs in New Eras

The UCLA Bruins and San Diego State Aztecs will meet at the Rose Bowl on Saturday in a matchup shaped as much by conference realignment and coaching turnover as by on-field history.

UCLA has historically dominated the series, holding an 18-1 all-time advantage. But San Diego State’s lone victory came the last time it visited Pasadena in 2019, and the Aztecs will be chasing a second straight Rose Bowl win this weekend.

Much has changed since the teams last played in 2023, when then-No. 24 UCLA rolled to a 35-10 win under Chip Kelly in his final season at the helm. Kelly’s successor, DeShaun Foster, lasted fewer than two full seasons, and Bob Chesney now leads the Bruins. Chesney opened his tenure with a 45-24 victory over Cal and will coach his first home game at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

San Diego State has also turned the page. The Aztecs hired Sean Lewis shortly after the 2023 loss, and he carries a 13-13 record into the contest. The program has since joined the Pac-12 Conference, while UCLA made its move to the Big Ten.

Betting markets see the game as UCLA’s to lose. DraftKings listed the Bruins as 8.5-point favorites as of Thursday afternoon. DraftKings shares traded at $23.795 on the day, up 0.41% from the previous close of $23.6984, giving the digital sports betting and daily fantasy company a market capitalization of roughly $11.69 billion. College football lines like this one are a core part of the company’s sportsbook offering as the season ramps up.

For the Aztecs, the trip north is a chance to prove their 2019 upset was no fluke against a program that has otherwise owned the series. For the Bruins, the game represents a chance to start the Chesney era 2-0 and to do so in front of a home crowd at the Rose Bowl for the first time under the new staff.

What to watch

• Whether Chesney improves to 2-0 in his debut season at UCLA with his first home win at the Rose Bowl.
• San Diego State’s performance under Sean Lewis as the Aztecs adjust to Pac-12 membership.
• Line movement on DraftKings and other sportsbooks leading up to Saturday’s kickoff.
• DraftKings’ upcoming quarterly earnings report, which will cover early-season college football betting activity.

Source: original release