UCLA Football: FBS teams the Bruins have never played

These groups of teams from No. 30 to No. 21 are schools that UCLA has never played against on the football field.

Team: Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Conference: American Athletic Conference

Record in 2022: 5-7

Team: Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

Conference: Conference USA

Record in 2022: 8-5

Team: Liberty Flames

Conference: Independent

Record in 2022: 8-5

Team: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Conference: Conference USA

Record in 2022: 9-5

Team: Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles

Conference: Sun Belt Conference

Record in 2022: 7-6

Team: Troy Trojans

Conference: Sun Belt Conference

Record in 2022: 12-2

Team: Louisiana Ragin Cajuns

Conference: Sun Belt Conference

Record in 2022: 6-7

Team: Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

Conference: Sun Belt Conference

Record in 2022: 9-4

*UCLA will play Coastal Carolina during the 2023 season.

Team: Florida Atlantic Owls

Conference: Conference USA

Record in 2022: 5-7

Team: North Texas Mean Green

Conference: Conference USA

Record in 2022: 7-7

Since the early 2000s, UCLA has played very few CUSA teams in non-conference games. For example, UCLA played New Mexico State in 2013. It is likely that UCLA will not continue to schedule games against Group Five teams in the future like those from CUSA, as these games are not beneficial to the school’s strength of schedule and media exposure as well as selling tickets to see teams from CUSA play the Bruins at the Rose Bowl.

In addition to the reasons mentioned above, it is also possible that UCLA has simply not had the opportunity to play certain teams from the CUSA conference. The Power Five conferences typically schedule their games well in advance, and it can be difficult to find open dates that work for both teams. Additionally, the CUSA conference has been in a state of flux in recent years, with teams leaving and joining the conference. This can make it difficult for UCLA to schedule games against specific teams from the conference.