UCLA football ranked in way too early preseason rankings

Let's take a look at where UCLA football is ranked in various preseason rankings.

ESPN has published their College football's preseason SP+ rankings.

TEAM SP+ OFF. SP+ DEF. SP+ ST SP+

UCLA 6.2 27.8 (62) 21.7 (31) -0.5 (109)

College Football News ranks UCLA just outside their top 30 in their preseason rankings.

CFN believes that even though the Bruins will play in the Big Ten this upcoming season, they believe that UCLA will be solid up front on both sides of the ball and will build on their eight win season in 2023.

Predicting preseason rankings for the 2024 season in February is incredibly difficult due to several factors.

It's too early: Significant changes can occur between now and the actual season. With UCLA;s coaching changes, player transfers, off season injuries, and unforeseen events can drastically alter the landscape of where UCLA will be ranked in various preseason rankings.
UCLA is undergoing major changes: Chip Kelly recently stepped down as head coach, and now new head coach DeShaun Foster. Key players now have a 30 day window for the transfer portal and could opt to transfer, and the new coaching staff's philosophies and recruiting efforts may or may not have an impact on the upcoming season.

However, we can speculate based on existing information.

Recent performances: UCLA finished the 2023 season with a 8-5 record, showing flashes of potential but lacking consistency to make them a top 25 team. The Bruins also won nine games for the 2022 season and eight wins during the 2021 season.
Conference competition: The Big Ten is currently considered a strong conference but UCLA plays Indiana, Minnesota, and Rutgers for example as well as playing Hawai'i and Fresno State in non-conference play. Even though they have to play tough opponents, they have opportunities to win a decent amount of games this upcoming season. This could give UCLA a chance to stand out within the conference, but wouldn't necessarily translate to national rankings.
Coaching uncertainty: Replacing a head coach, especially one with Kelly's ability to be consistent these past three seasons, creates unknowns. Foster has never been a head coach and the new recruiting landscape with NIL still evolving will significantly impact UCLA's future, but Foster has the fanbase excited and they are ready to support him going into the season.

Therefore, it's impossible to confidently predict UCLA's position in any 2024 preseason rankings at this point. We'll need to wait for developments like key player decisions, and further recruiting, especially with the transfer portal before making any meaningful predictions.

Keeping up with UCLA's offseason news, assistant coaching searches, and recruiting updates give a better sense of their potential for the 2024 season.