California Golden Bears vs SMU Mustangs Prediction, Odds and Picks for Today, 11/30/24

As we wrap up the season and consider our California Bears vs SMU Mustangs prediction, SMU has already punched its ticket to the conference title game regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s games. Nevertheless, the Mustangs have their sights set on larger goals, and with a win here they might be in the College Football Playoff regardless of the title game outcome. I do not expect SMU to let up, unless they have a massive lead and can rest starters. Cal’s defense should be too good to get totally blown off the field though. Still, with Cal already bowl eligible and SMU playing with everything on the line, I expect the Mustangs to jump ahead early and keep working from there. With an opening line just under 14 points, it seems like Vegas is begging us to take SMU and might be trying to trap us, but I am going to spring the trap. Give me SMU -13.5.

Let’s start with the Bears, who have won 3 of their last 4 games. This is supposed to be a spread offense with a solid rushing attack, yet here at the end of the season the Bears are one of the worst rushing attacks in the nation. SMU can be bullies on the line of scrimmage defensively, too, so Cal will likely become 1-dimensional. I expect SMU to keep Cal off the scoreboard for the most part. This spread is a question of the other side of the ball. SMU plays a go-fast offense, but Cal’s defense is tough — ranking inside the nation’s top 40 in total defense. Still, I think this is a spot where the Mustangs can’t afford to be fooling around — and if they find the endzone much at all, they should pull away. SMU will lock up Cal defensively, and I think the ‘Stangs get just enough offense to cover this number.

California vs SMU prediction: SMU -13.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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