ESPN Makes Predictions For Bowls and the College Football Playoff, UCLA To Holiday Bowl

ESPN is at it again with their way-too-early predictions, this time they try their hand and predicting the match-ups for the 2016 Bowl Season and the College Football Playoff. Yesterday we looked at ESPN’s Mark Schlabach and his Top 25, where your UCLA football team was ranked #11. This time, the Bruins are getting a little less love with bowl projections.

For these predictions, Schlabach along with Brett McMurphy, listed every potential bowl match-up, including UCLA and 7 other Pac-12 teams. Here is how they predict the Bruins will do among the Conference of Champions next Bowl Season:

[table id=61 /]

The Cotton Bowl will serve as one of the semi-final College Football Playoff games. 

So…

UCLA Bruins

Is it scary that both Schlabach and McMurphy picked UCLA in the fourth best bowl (essentially stating they will be the fourth best team in the Pac-12)? Bruin fans have high-hopes for UCLA football next season which includes a trip to the Pac-12 Championship Game.

Though it is possible that the Bruins could drop to a lower bowl after taking a beating from one of the toughest divisions in college football, I have a different opinion. and it starts with the #BruinRevolution.

Everything head coach Jim Mora has gotten his hands on since he got to Westwood has turned to gold. Because of that, UCLA Football will field a team that will be the best in Mora’s short tenure. That will then result in the Bruins getting to the Cotton Bowl or the Rose Bowl.

Yeah, I wrote it.

As much as I believe Arizona, Arizona State, USC and Utah will all be better teams in 2015, right now it seems the pendulum is swinging in the Bruin’s direction.

I get that the only knock (and it is a big knock) against UCLA football is that they have not named a quarterback to replace the legendary Brett Hundley, but if you have heard any news reported on UCLA football in the last month, you will know that they have several good replacements, especially freshman Josh Rosen who looks better than Hundley did when he was a freshman.

Because of that, EXPECT UCLA Football to be in a premiere bowl next season. No matter what ESPN says.