UCLA Football: UCLA at Texas A&M Early Analysis

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Oct 15, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins coach Jim Mora reacts during a 56-35 loss against the Stanford Cardinal in a NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

It’s mid-June which means we can start looking forward to the 2016 UCLA football schedule. In our first game analysis, we look at the Bruins starting off the 2016 season with a trip to College Station to face the Texas A&M Aggies on Sept. 3rd.

In what should have easily qualified for an ESPN prime showing, two major programs will face with plenty of storylines abound.

The Bruins return their bright, young, star quarterback but needs to answer questions on both sides of the ball after losing a number of key players to the 2016 NFL Draft while Texas A&M will have to see how its new quarterback Trevor Knight adjusts, but will also be without one of their top targets in Speedy Noil who will be suspended for the season opener.

Let’s get into the meat of matchup and give you the facts you’ll need to get a jump on next season.

2015 Records

UCLA 8-5, 5-4 | Texas A&M 8-5, 4-4

The Bruins ended 2015 on a sour note. They lost to crosstown rival USC for the first time since 2012 and then dropped their bowl game to a Nebraska team that had to get an NCAA waiver since they were not over the .500 mark during the regular season.

UCLA Bruins /

UCLA Bruins

While 8-5 isn’t the worst record, and in fact many teams would be excited to end the season with that winning mark, those two losses at the end of the season were cause for grief from the fanbase and media.

The Bruins will have to replace three starting offensive linemen, their three leading receivers and starting tailback from last year but pulled in an impressive signing class specifically on the defense.

Their losses didn’t end with players though as offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone and quarterback’s coach Taylor Mazzone left to head to College Station strangely enough. They have been replaced (and likely upgraded) by Kennedy Polamalu and Marques Tuiasosopo respectively.

Aggie nation was stunned when not one but both starting quarterbacks from the 2015 season transferred away from the program this offseason. Their quarterback scramble led to them landing Oklahoma graduate transfer Knight, but has many around the country wondering about the stability of their program and why two quarterbacks would leave when head coach Kevin Sumlin is thought of as an offensive guru.

The Aggies finished the year with an 8-5 record with an identical 0-2 record in their regular season finale and bowl game just like the Bruins. Texas A&M has much fewer questions across the board, return stud players all over their roster and the defense, which hasn’t always been the strength of the Aggies, should improve greatly under John Chavis in his second year.

Next: Key Players and Stats