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UCLA Football: A look at the Bruins’ future non-conference opponents

By Mike Regalado

PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: UCLA Bruins cheerleaders entertain the crowd during the game against the Hawaii Warriors at the Rose Bowl on September 9, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: UCLA Bruins cheerleaders entertain the crowd during the game against the Hawaii Warriors at the Rose Bowl on September 9, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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PASADENA, CA – SEPTEMBER 09: UCLA Bruins cheerleaders entertain the crowd during the game against the Hawaii Warriors at the Rose Bowl on September 9, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA – SEPTEMBER 09: UCLA Bruins cheerleaders entertain the crowd during the game against the Hawaii Warriors at the Rose Bowl on September 9, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

Go Joe Bruin looks at the UCLA football team’s future non-conference schedules as the Bruins have several interesting matchups over the next 12 years.

At Pac-12 Media Day, UCLA football head coach Chip Kelly said he would play any team, anywhere. He backed up that claim when he added three new non-conference teams to the Bruins’ future schedules on Thursday.

RELATED: UCLA Adds Auburn, Hawai’i and New Mexico State to their Future Schedule

Among those three, the Bruins added another big-time name as they will be facing Auburn in nine and ten years, but that is not the only top-tier program they will be facing in the next 12 seasons.

One thing former coach Jim Mora was adamant about was setting up games against top college football programs (though winning those games was a different story). Still, the Bruins have several marquee matchups coming their way because of Mora and Kelly is only adding to the future battles. Let us look at who the Bruins will be dealing with until 2030…

2019

  • Aug 31 at Cincinnati
  • Sept 7 vs San Diego State
  • Sept 14 vs Oklahoma

Everyone talks about how the 2018 season will be tough, which is true. But next year, things get slightly easier. Though Cincinnati is a road game, it doesn’t look like they will be a huge power in 2019. The Bruins then come home to play San Diego State and Oklahoma, which will be a much easier battle than their brawl in Norman in 2018.

2020

  • Aug 29 vs New Mexico State
  • Sept 5 at Hawai’i
  • Sept 19 at San Diego State

Sure, UCLA has added some big names to their future schedules, but they have also added a few names that could technically be considered “cupcakes”. If 2019 is a stepping stone for the Bruins to become an elite program, then 2020 could help them make a strong postseason run. New Mexico State, Hawai’i, and San Diego State are not huge names and will help the Bruins collect a few early wins. But also consider the fact that UCLA will once again miss Washington and Oregon during this season.

But there is also an additional caveat: UCLA could add a 4th non-conference game. There is a rule that if a team travels to Hawai’i, they can add a 13th regular season game. So is there room for a big-time non-conference matchup? This could be good and bad.