The late-night slate for Week 13 of the college football season sees a pair of new Big Ten rivals duke it out as Washington and UCLA take the field from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Saturday’s 10:30 p.m. ET kickoff (NBC) features programs that have trended in different directions this year. There’s still plenty to play for, however, as the Huskies look to improve their bowl game and the Bruins aim to save what’s left of a lost season.
Here, we’ll break down a Washington vs. UCLA prediction and CFB pick for Saturday NCAAF. Use PrizePicks’ CFB game for player projections on QB Demond Williams Jr. and others.
Washington vs. UCLA Prediction, Preview for Saturday, 11/22
Washington and UCLA have met a whopping 77 times in their history, with the series being pretty close at 40-35-2 in favor of the latter program. With both teams coming over from the Pac-12 last year, a November bout went the Huskies’ way.
In that outing, UCLA actually outgained Washington by 14 total yards (319 to 305) but committed nine penalties to the Huskies’ two. Who might come out on top this time?
Let’s take a closer look at the Washington vs. UCLA matchup on Saturday.
Washington Huskies Preview vs. UCLA
The 2024 year was one of firsts for Washington. Not only was it their debut in the Big Ten, but it was Jedd Fisch’s debut as head coach. The end result was a 6-7 season and a Sun Bowl loss.
Year No. 2 of the Fisch era is going much better. The Huskies are 7-3 through 10 games, although they’ve split their last four contests.
An efficient passing attack (ninth in yards per pass at 9.1) keeps Washington’s offense in good standing.
The Huskies’ pass defense is suspect, but it thrives against the run, ranking 28th in opposing yards per rush at 3.6.
UCLA Bruins Preview vs. Washington
UCLA posted a 5-7 record in 2024, their worst full-season finish since 2019 (4-8).
After an 0-3 start to this year, the program fired head coach DeShaun Foster and replaced him with Tim Skipper. Under Skipper, the Bruins are 3-4 but have three-game streaks of wins and losses.
The Bruins don’t throw the ball effectively, instead opting for the run. Fortunately for them, they’re in the 93rd percentile in explosive rushes, per Game on Paper.
Defensively is where UCLA can’t seem to do much right. They have the 115th-ranked scoring group at 32.4 PPG.
Washington vs. UCLA Picks for PrizePicks
Below are prime Washington vs. UCLA picks to consider for Week 13. PrizePicks player projections include QB Demond Williams Jr., WR Kwazi Gilmer, and K Mateen Bhaghani.
Washington QB Demond Williams Jr. Projection vs. UCLA: 298.5 Pass + Rush Yards
- Williams is a premier dual-threat QB, averaging 302.1 combined passing and rushing yards per game.
- The sophomore signal-caller bumped that average up to 312.8 in his last six games, including a jaw-dropping 538-yard outing against Rutgers on Oct. 10.
- According to Game on Paper, Williams ranks fourth among all qualified QBs in EPA/dropback at 0.46. He’s also 11th in EPA/rush at 0.35.
- A matchup to watch: third downs. Washington is the nation’s ninth-best team in those scenarios (49.52% conversion rate), and UCLA is dead last on defense (55.56%).
- The Bruins’ defense ranks 132nd in defensive success rate (47.0%).
UCLA Bruins WR Kwazi Gilmer Projection vs. Washington: 39.5 Rec Yards
- After posting 28.8 receiving yards per game as a true freshman, Gilmer is up to 43.2 in 2025.
- The former three-star recruit has 67 targets on the year; no other UCLA player has even reached 40. Gilmer is QB Nico Iamaleava’s top option.
- Gilmer ranks 391st out of 707 pass catchers in yards per target at 4.91.
- Washington’s pass defense is 88th in EPA/play and sits in the 23rd percentile in explosives allowed, per Game on Paper.
UCLA Bruins K Mateen Bhaghani Projection vs. Washington: 5.5 Kicking Points
- Bhaghani has nailed each of his 68 extra point attempts in his career, in addition to 82.7% of his field goal tries.
- The former Cal transfer has notched 5+ kicking points in six of his last seven contests, including four with 6+ points.
- Per Pro Football Focus, Bhaghani is 13-for-15 on kicks inside 50 yards this season.
- Washington’s average defensive starting field position ranks 126th in the nation, which could inject life into UCLA’s struggling offense and give Bhaghani more opportunities.
Make Washington vs. UCLA Picks on PrizePicks
As the college football campaign slowly winds down, Washington vs. UCLA picks are far from the only ones to consider in Week 13. With PrizePicks’ real-money CFB game, you can cash in on the action.
Doing so is simple. Just pick your players, predict More or Less for their projected stats, and win rewards if you’re right.
Keep it here with the Playbook for continued college football coverage.
