Go Joe Bruin ranks the 2016 UCLA Football schedule by difficulty, and believe us, is WILL be difficult.
The UCLA Football team has one of the toughest schedules in the nation next year. ESPN has the Bruins with the 9th toughest Strength of Schedule, but with an overall Football Power Index ranking of 13.
That is a lot of positivity for a team that finished 8-5 and two straight losses to end the season including a steamrolling by Nebraska in the Foster Farms Bowl.
More from Go Joe Bruin
- UCLA Football: It’s time for the nation to meet Dante Moore
- UCLA Football: Where are they ranked heading into week 4
- UCLA Football: Position battle breakdown for Utah showdown
- UCLA vs. Utah: Location, time, prediction, and more
- UCLA Football: Highlights from Chip Kelly’s appearance on the Jim Rome Show
In their defense, UCLA had an unprecedented amount of injuries which included losing players like Myles Jack, Eddie Vanderdoes and Fabian Moreau, just to name a few.
The only positive that came out of this is having a lot of the younger guys step up and gain experience, which was beneficial to players like Isaako Savaiinaea and Jayon Brown who did a fantastic job holding together a crumbling defense.
So with Jim Mora and company looking to improve next season, can they fend off the tough out of conference schedule and the Pac-12 and improve on last season’s 8-5 record? To answer that, let us look at what the Bruins have to deal with.
*Here we have ranked all 12 regular season games from easier to hardest. We have also added each opponent’s record from last year and conference.
Next: Rebel, Rebel, Your Face Is A Mess
12. vs UNLV Rebels (3-9, 2-6 Mountain West – last season)
Game #2, Saturday, September 10
Seeing as the UCLA football team had no problem manhandling the UNLV Rebels last year in Las Vegas, a game at the Rose Bowl should be a walk in the park for the Bruins who will be led by second-year quarterback, Josh Rosen.
Though the young QB had a few stumbles in the first road game of his college career, he fought back after a slow first half to lead UCLA to a 37-3 victory. Expect Rosen to be a little bit more than confident in this game when he plays in front of his home crowd.
This is actually a very dangerous game for the Rebels because it comes a week after the Bruins play Texas A&M in College Station. This is expected to be a difficult game to start the year, so if the Bruins lose, they will want to pounce on UNLV. If UCLA gets the victory over the Aggies, they are going to want to come home and continue their success and get a solid win over the Rebels.
Either way, it does not get any easier than this game to get a win.
Next: Back-to-Back Shutouts
11. vs Oregon State Beavers (2-10, 0-9 Pac-12)
Game #10, Saturday, November 12
It had been something like1 million years since UCLA got a shutout against an opponent. Last year the Bruins went up to Corvallis and destroyed Oregon State to once again get that blanking feeling.
Now mind you, the Beavers are in transition, but they are still a team that is not very good. Offense, defense… new Head Coach Gary Anderson has a lot that he has to fix. The Beavers might be better this year, but so will the Bruins.
Who knows what state either of these teams will be in this late in the season, but even if UCLA was bruised and battered (just like last season), they would still be able to take down Oregon State.
WIth this game at the Rose Bowl, UCLA should be able to get a shut out in consecutive years.
Next: UCLA's Late Season Gets Boulder
10. at Colorado Buffaloes (4-9, 3-6 Pac-12)
Game 9, Thursday, November 3
Colorado has not been a good football team since they joined the Pac-12 Conference. The Bruins have pretty much been able to handle the Buffaloes every season they have been a member of the Conference of Champions.
Even when the Brett Hundley-led Bruins needed a double-overtime win to beat the cellar dwelling Buffaloes, UCLA did it with a dominating final OT drive. Now we all know that Josh Rosen and Brett Hundley are two different players, which is why this game in Colorado should be a bit easier to maneuver.
Not only will the Bruins have their chemistry intact, but what plagued Hundley in 2014 (accuracy), should be an easier feat for Rosen, despite the Mile High atmosphere.
Luckily for the Bruins, 2 of their 3 easiest games come late in the season. The majority of their difficult schedule looks to be problematic early on.
Next: Better Than Diamond Rings… Football
9. vs Arizona Wildcats (7-6, 3-6 Pac-12)
Game #5, Saturday, October 1
The UCLA Football team has had the Arizona Wildcat’s number the last few years. That is not to say the Cats are going to be a push over, but more like the Bruins seem to match up well against AZ, despite their recent success under Head Coach Rich Rodriguez.
Plus, it should be noted that there is a drop off in overall talent and coaching between the teams in these rankings at this point. For the most part, the Bruins should be able to run through UNLV, Oregon State and Colorado, but it does get a bit difficult when analyzing the other nine regular season games.
Now understand that UCLA can very well lose to each of these next nine teams, including Arizona. The Bruins struggled mightily two years ago against the Wildcats defense at the Rose Bowl, though they got the win.
It was a bit easier last year for UCLA in Tucson in a rout, but that was the first game where we saw that the Bruins had trouble stopping the run. UCLA won 56-30, but they also allowed the Wildcats run for 353 yards.
By comparison, UCLA looks to be in better shape than Arizona, but it will not be easy. Unfortunately, it gets even harder for the Bruins.
Next: A Golden Opportunity
8. at California Golden Bears (8-5, 4-5 Pac-12)
Game #12, Saturday, November 26
Here is the rub… the Bruins could be in the running for the Pac-12 Championship. The awkward thing about the Pac-12 football schedule is the how rivalry games are now pushed to the side.
Example: in the final game of the season, UCLA and Cal play each other, and not their heated rivals, USC and Stanford (respectively).
It is weird, but it is what it is. This season, the Bruins end their 2016 regular season campaign in Berkeley, a place that is not too friendly to Bruins.
Two years ago, UCLA needed a late-game interception to secure the win in one of the longest games the Bruins played all season. But also remember that Cal is without the #1 NFL Draft pick, Jared Goff, so they will be in transition too.
Does Cal have enough to beat the Bruins? Probably not, but considering the opponent, time of year and what might be at stake, this is going to be a very difficult contest.
Next: A Devil Of A Time
7. at Arizona State Sun Devils (6-7, 4-5 Pac-12)
Game #6, Saturday, October 8
The good news, UCLA has been pretty good in Tempe. The bad news, Mora is 2-2 against Todd Graham and the Sun Devils. For some reason, neither of these teams can beat the other at home, which is good news for UCLA who travels to Tempe in 2016.
As far as difficulty, I am not going to base this game on where it is played. I am basing it off of the tension that has been building up between the Sun Devils and Bruins. Despite an overall friendly nature, there is some animosity building between the two programs, at least during the week leading up to their match-up. That leads to good football games.
ASU is a wildcard of a team. Their defense takes heavy risks and their offense likes to air it out, but they seemed to take a step back last year, going 3-4 after beating UCLA.
Either way, this midseason game is going to mean a lot for both teams, making it quite a difficult task to get the win.
Next: Gag'em!
6. at Texas A&M Aggies (8-5, 4-4 SEC)
Game #1, Saturday, September 3
Oh this will be fun.
The Bruins face former offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone in the first game of the season. UCLA is going to have an interesting time on defense seeing as they faced Mazzone’s offense for the last four years.
For Defensive Coordinator Tom Bradley, he has seen Mazzone’s schemes and plays (all five of them) for one year, yet it should be enough to suppress the spread offense.
But who is going to run A&M’s offense? The Aggies had their top two QBs transfer out after last season (to add insult to injury, Texas A&M recently lost the commitment from 5-star 2017 QB Tate Martell).
Though the Aggies have their woes, do not count them out especially with this game pitting the Pac-12 and SEC against each other. This will not be as big of a deal as USC-Alabama (the Trojans are going to get wrecked), but the bright lights of SEC Country will be new to UCLA and has to meet that task head on.
Next: A Salty Relationship
5. vs Utah Utes (10-3, 6-3)
Game #8, Saturday, October 22
BEford the UCLA Football team visited Salt Lake City last season, it appeared as though the Bruins would have a tough time against the surging Utes. This was the case, as the Bruins needed a late push to get past Utah late in the game.
There was a lot riding on that game as well. The Bruins kept their South Division hopes alive and eliminated the Utes. And so the rivalry grows.
Expect a similar type of game as the Utes return to the Rose Bowl where the defensive line wrecked havoc on the Bruins two years ago. Although this time, Utah will be without that beastly Nate Orchard and UCLA without Brett Hundley.
Though UCLA has improved on their pass protection, expect the Utes to try and bully the Bruin offensive line. Also expect Rosen to get crazy on Utah. I said it.
Next: Coug'd It!
4. Washington State Cougars (9-4, 6-3)
Game #7, Saturday, October 15
The biggest surprise in the Pac-12 in 2015 came from the Pirate and his Cougars. Mike Leech‘s start to his tenure in the Palouse was met with some rough waters. Trying to survive in the North Division was killer and the Cougs just could not get things clicking.
But that changed dramatically as Wazzu exploded onto the scene in 2015. When the Cougars visited the Bruins in Pasadena, UCLA could not stop the air attack that eventually got Washington State a late-game win.
Expect Wazzu to be even more prepared this season and even more comfortable as this contest takes place in Pullman (and thankfully for UCLA in mid-October and not late November).
Next: A Dirty Affair
3. at BYU Cougars (9-4 Independent)
Game #3, Saturday, September 17
Though Josh Rosen had several “hey freshman, welcome to college football!” moments in this game at the Rose Bowl last season, he also did do some growing.
With the likes of Paul Perkins and Nate Starks helping out, Rosen was able to guide the Bruins down the field for the game-winning touchdown late in the contest.
There is no doubt that the Bruins can beat BYU (especially with the departure of Bronco Mendenhall), but UCLA is heading into Provo this year and as history has proved, the Bruins tend to take beatings at BYU.
So UCLA plays at Texas A&M and at BYU in the first three weeks of the season. Yeah, that is going to be quite difficult.
Also, be sure to read BYU: The Dirtiest Team in College Football.
Next: Get The Bell Back
2. vs USC Trojans (8-6, 6-3)
Game #11, Saturday, November 19
UCLA was riding high with 3-straight wins over USC. If the Bruins beat the Trojans in this 2015 game, they book their trip to the Pac-12 Championship Game. It would have been the first time the Bruins get a shot at the conference title since Mora’s first season in Westwood.
USC went to the Pac-12 Championship instead. The Trojans ran over UCLA, plain and simple. USC gets the win, the South Division and the Victory Bell.
So revenge it is then.
Clay Helton may be 0-2 as USC’s head coach at this point in time, but when these two crosstown rivals square off at the Rose Bowl at the end of the season, he might have at least one win. Either way, Trojans and Bruins get up for this game, which always makes it difficult. Unfortunately, there is another game that Will be more burdensome on UCLA.
That blasted Cardinal.
Next: At Least Kevin Hogan Is Gone
1c. Stanford Cardinal (12-2, 8-1)
Game #4, Saturday, September 24
Of course this is the toughest game of the regular season, mostly because the Bruins have not beat Stanford since the Nixon Administration.
OKay, not that long, but it might as well be. Since facing Stanford in four years, Mora has lost five times and all of those were against former Cardinal QB Kevin Hogan (who apparently turns into Peyton Manning against the Bruins), but that changes this season.
Stanford loses a lot of players on both sides of the ball, but that means nothing when you have a mastermind like Head Coach David Shaw in charge of the program.
It does not matter if it is a true freshman or a fifth-year senior, Shaw always has his players ready. Will UCLA be?
Next: A Possible Championship?
1b. Pac-12 Championship Game
Friday, December 2
So I am going to go out on a limb here and say the UCLA Football team wins the South Division and makes it to their second Pac-12 Championship Game in the Jim Mora era.
It was bound to happen at some point, why not now?
The Bruins have been ready for this game for a long time. With the hope that UCLA can get over the hump of not losing one or two games they should definitely win in any given season, the Bruins could finally be the dominating force on the south side of the Pac-12.
Now if this dream comes true, then it automatically makes it the most difficult game the Bruins will have to play. I mean, come on, it is the freaking Pac-12 Championship!
The Bruins have not won a conference title since 1998, so this will be huge for Mora and his guys. No pressure though, right?
Still, no matter the outcome of this game, it pales in comparison to their next and final game of the 2016-17 season.
Next: A Return To Glory?
1a. Rose Bowl Game/National Championship
Monday, January 2/Monday, January 9
What? You don’t think the UCLA Football team can make it to the national championship game? You’re probably right.
But just imagine what a game like this would mean to a team that has not claimed a national title in over 50 years. I would be invigorating to the program as a whole.
But even if I dial it back a bit, going to a Rose Bowl (or possibly a Fiesta Bowl), would be proof of the Bruins making that next step to greatness under Mora.
UCLA has not been to a Rose Bowl since 1999. It has been too long and a return to Pasadena would light a fire under the Bruins heading into the future. With this being the biggest game any of these Bruin player’s careers, expect them to play at the peak of their ability.
More from Go Joe Bruin
- UCLA Football: It’s time for the nation to meet Dante Moore
- UCLA Football: Where are they ranked heading into week 4
- UCLA Football: Position battle breakdown for Utah showdown
- UCLA vs. Utah: Location, time, prediction, and more
- UCLA Football: Highlights from Chip Kelly’s appearance on the Jim Rome Show
Next: UCLA Football: Post-Signing Day 2-Deep Depth Chart
Or UCLA could end up at the Sun, Alamo or Holiday Bowl. Still, it should be a fun season! Go Bruins!