After examining UCLA football’s advantageous home schedule, Go Joe Bruin takes a look at the Bruins’ road slate, which seems like it will be quite treacherous.
Yesterday, Go Joe Bruin looked at the opponents the UCLA football team will take on at the Rose Bowl in 2019 and came to the conclusion that the Bruins could reasonably go 5-1 at home.
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With UCLA taking on San Diego State, Oklahoma, Oregon State, Arizona State, Colorado, and Cal in Pasadena, it is fair to say the Bruins could win more than a couple of games. But this is only half the schedule. When you look at UCLA’s road slate, things become exponentially tougher.
2018 Records of UCLA’s 2019 Road Opponents
- Cincinnati: 11-2
- Washington State: 11-2
- Arizona: 5-7
- Stanford: 9-4
- Utah: 9-5
- USC: 5-7
Last year, the Bruins’ 2019 road opponents had a collective record of 50-27. Additionally, UCLA went 2-4 against those six teams. The two wins came against Arizona and USC, but we have to remember that they were Bruin home games, so when they go on the road to face these teams this year, it will be harder to get a “W.” Still, both teams ended up with losing records last season and neither is expected to make a huge jump in progress this year, but I will get into that in a second.
Let us start with UCLA’s first game of the season which is at Cincinnati. Not only are the Bruins going to have their hands full with a team that surprised many, but they are going to have to do it while traveling to the midwest.
But hang on a second, it gets even more treacherous. This game is now center stage as it has been moved to a Thursday primetime slot instead of being buried amongst the overabundance of games being broadcasted on that Saturday in Week 1 of the season. Although I expect the Bruns to be ready, this screams of beat down.
The Bruins then start conference season on the road as they head north to face an opponent they haven’t seen in three years, the up-and-coming Washington State Cougars. Wazzu’s offense is going to test UCLA, but how stable will they be as they bring in transfer QB Gage Gubrud? Though I believe the Bruins will have a chance in this game, the Cougars will be ready and pull out a close one in the Palouse.
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Their next roadie is at Arizona, a place where the Bruins do not do well, historically. Still, Arizona is in transition with Kevin Sumlin and UCLA did outlast the Wildcats last year, so it could come down to a similar result this fall. A “W” for UCLA.
Then comes what could be the toughest game of the season — the Stanford game. Getting a win in this contest will be difficult simply because Stanford has UCLA’s number, which happens to be 11 (the number of consecutive victories the Cardinal has over the Bruins). But also consider that this game is up on the farm on a Thursday night. The last time UCLA went to Stanford on a Thursday, they got blown out 56-35. Still, if there is any optimism going into this contest, it will be the fact that UCLA nearly beat Stanford last year. But until UCLA actually beats Stanford, I’m calling this a loss.
It doesn’t get any easier as UCLA travels to Utah for the first of back-to-back end of the season road games. Remember the Utah game last year? I don’t blame you if you don’t. The Utes gave the Bruins one of their worst losses of the season as they fell 41-10. It might not be as bad, but the result might be the same — a loss.
Then they finish up their road schedule with a game against USC. Honestly, I do not know what kind of team the Trojans will field by this game, but I do not think they will make massive improvements, seeing as they have a lot of systematic issues. But if the game is anything close to what we saw last year, expect USC to celebrate prematurely with UCLA rolling them for the win.
That would give UCLA a road record of 2-4 and if we combine that with our predicted 5-1 home record, the Bruins will finish the season 7-5. Not only an improvement from 2018, but it would also make them bowl eligible. Do you agree? Comment below with your predictions.