UCLA Football: UCLA Vs. Stanford 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 /

Go Joe Bruin continues to look at the 2016 UCLA Football schedule with a preview of the Stanford Cardinal in the first conference game of the season.

Eight games. That is the current streak the Stanford Cardinal have over the UCLA Football team. For Bruin fans, enough is enough. Bruin Head Coach Jim Mora has a few hurdles he has to overcome and defeating the Mighty Cardnal is one of them.

This season both UCLA and Stanford were selected to win their respective divisions at Pac-12 Media Day, with the Cardinal chosen to win the Pac-12 Conference.

That makes the Week 4 meeting between these two teams one of the more important in the conference schedule.

This year, it could be different, especially with Stanford losing several key players including Bruin killer QB Kevin Hogan and three players on their offensive line. Though that seems like a chance for UCLA to pounce, one should never count out the mind of Stanford Head Coach David Shaw, who has never lost to Mora.

2015 Record and Recap

Stanford Cardinal, 12-2 overall, 8-1 Pac-12, Conference Champions

More from Go Joe Bruin

Stanford fooled everyone in the first game of 2015 with an unorthodox loss at Northwestern, 16-6. But then they rattled off eight straight wins to not only rocket them to the top of the Pac-12 Conference, but also put them back in the national spotlight.

Stanford sustained only one other loss in 2015 with a 38-36 defeat to Oregon, yet because the Ducks stumbled a bit themselves last season, a final conference win against Cal (right before schedule closing victory against Notre Dame), Stanford clinched the North Division for the third time in four seasons.

Stanford then wiped the floor with USC in the Pac-12 Championship Game (just after the Trojans wiped the floor with the Bruins in the final game of the regular season), 41-22.

To top off their spectacular season, Stanford then obliterated Iowa in the Rose Bowl Game, 45-16. The Cardinal then landed the #3 ranking in the final AP poll, just outside of National Champion Alabama and runner-up Clemson.

Next: Key Players and Stats