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UCLA Football: Look at 2023 Schedule with game by game predictions

By Ryan Kay

Helicopters fly over as fireworks explode during the national anthem prior to the game between the USC Trojans and the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl on November 19, 2022 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Helicopters fly over as fireworks explode during the national anthem prior to the game between the USC Trojans and the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl on November 19, 2022 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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This will be the final season that the UCLA Bruins football program is a member of the Pac-12 Conference.

The Bruins play their home games at the historical Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California and they look to not only win games on their home field but also on the road as well.

The Bruins won one national championship, in 1954 and they also have also won 17 conference championships, most recently in 1998. Meaning it has been 24 seasons since the Bruins have won a Pac-12 conference title. UCLA has had a number of notable players in its history, including quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Maurice Jones-Drew, and wide receiver J.J. Stokes.

The Bruins have had a mixed bag of results in recent years. They went 9-4 in 2022 and 8-4 in 2021, but they were 3-4 in 2020 and 4-8 in 2019. The good news is that UCLA is improving year after year for the most part.

The Bruins are led by head coach Chip Kelly, who was hired in 2018. Kelly is a former NFL head coach who has also had success at the college level, winning three Pac-12 championships at Oregon.

The Bruins are hoping to return to the Pac-12 championship game in 2023 as they have not won a conference championship in a long time. Let’s take a look at the upcoming season game by game.

Week 1

First meeting: This will be the first time that UCLA has played Coast Carolina in football.

Last season for both schools: The Chanticleers started the season 6-0 and played in the Sun Belt championship game but lost to Troy. They ended the season playing in the Birmingham Bowl but lost to East Carolina to finish off the season with a solid 9-4 record.

The Bruin’s offense started the season playing very well scoring 40 or more points in five out of their first six games and in the one game during that span that the offense did not score 40 or more points, the Bruins still put up 32. UCLA won all of their non-conference games defeating South Alabama as well as Bowling Green and Alabama State. After winning their first six games and receiving a No. 9 national ranking, the Bruins lost on the road to top 10-ranked Oregon.

The Bruins finished their season winning three and losing three to finish with a 9-4 record as did their first-game opponent Coastal Carolina. Like the Chanticleers, the Bruins lost their bowl game but the Bruins did play well overall against Pitt in the Sun Bowl in a very close game that saw UCLA lose 37-35.

Prediction: UCLA 42 Coastal Carolina 31