UCLA Football Early 2018 Schedule Preview: Washington Huskies

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GLENDALE, AZ – DECEMBER 30: Head coach Chris Petersen of the Washington Huskies points to the endzone from the sidelines during a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the Playstation Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 30, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /

Go Joe Bruin continues our early 2018 previews with a look at UCLA football’s first big Pac-12 contest against the Washington Huskies.

It has already been established that the UCLA football team has one of the toughest schedules in the nation. After a non-conference schedule which begins with battles against Cincinnati, Oklahoma and Fresno State, they start off Pac-12 play with a Friday night game at Colorado and then return home to face a program that has been terrorizing the conference over the last several seasons… Washington.

If all goes well, the Bruins should be 3-1 by the time they face the Huskies because, barring a miracle, this looks like a game that UCLA will be pushed around in.

Despite having Chip Kelly lead the charge, UCLA will still be trying to find their footing by time this game comes around, while the well-oiled machine that is Washington is completely stacked on both sides of the ball. Despite a few key losses, the Huskies are still loaded and that is going to be a lot for the Bruins to handle this early in the season.

UCLA Football Early 2018 Schedule Previews

Cincinnati | Oklahoma | Fresno State | Colorado

Washington Huskies

Head Coach: Chris Petersen | 37-17 (4th season at Washington), 129-29 (overall)

2017 Record: 10-3, 7-2 Pac-12

2017-18 Bowl Game: Fiesta Bowl | #9 Penn State 35 – #11 Washington 28

What: UCLA Bruins vs. Washington Huskies

Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA

When: Saturday, October 6

Despite a two-year transition period, Chris Petersen finally made this Washington team into national contenders. In 2016, they made it to the College Football Playoffs, but unfortunately lost that one to the top program in the nation for the last decade, Alabama.

Washington’s Five-Year Win Trend

2017 – ★★★★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 10-3
2016 – ★★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆ 12-2
2015 – ★★★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ 7-6
2014 – ★★★★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ 8-6
2013 – ★★★★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ 9-4

They took a small step back last season (mostly due to an extraordinary amount of injuries), but were still in competition for the Pac-12. Unfortunately, the Huskies just missed out on the Pac-12 Championship and ended the season with a loss to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl. One thing is for certain, this will not stand in their coach’s eyes.

Petersen was brought to Washington to win. He already has a Pac-12 Championship under his belt, but you can guarantee he wants more. This season, he tries to get the Huskies back to the level they were in 2016. Part of what stands in their way is UCLA.