This is a list of UCLA's football opponents for 2025, ranked from toughest to least challenging, with a brief summary about each opponent.
These are UCLA's four most challenging games ranked before the start of the 2025 season.
This is arguably the most challenging game on the schedule for UCLA. Ohio State is always in the running for the national title due to its excellent recruiting and ability to retain players and add key players via the transfer portal. The Bruins have a challenging task ahead of them, as they must travel and go against Ohio State in Columbus, which is known for being a notoriously tough venue for opponents from the West Coast. The game will also be played in mid-November, which will be another challenge for UCLA, more than likely.
UCLA's second most difficult game on their schedule is against a team that many publications have as the favorite to win a national title in 2026.
Another Big Ten team that advanced to the semifinals of the college football playoff last season was the Penn State Nittany Lions. Many college football fans know them for both their strong defense and their skilled offensive position players. The Nittany Lions return most of their key players from last season on both sides of the ball, and their offense may end up being the best in the Big Ten this season. At home, UCLA will have a hard time beating a team that is likely to be in the running for the Big Ten title as well as the national championship, but at least this season, the game with Penn State will be played at the Rose Bowl.
UCLA's third most difficult opponent is a very familiar team that is looking to have a breakout season this year.
The game against USC is always essential, but this year it will be even tougher. Expectations are high for the USC offense, positioning them as a formidable contender in the Big Ten. UCLA lost some key players from its defense, and the Trojan offense could cause problems for the Bruins' defense. It's even tougher to play the Trojans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, but at least the game is in Los Angeles.
The fourth toughest opponent on UCLA's schedule was a team they didn't do very well against last season, and now they have to play them on the road in late October.
Although the Hoosiers are currently undergoing a potential rebuild, the preseason poll should rank them in the top 25, as they demonstrated last season that they can win quickly under their head coach, Curt Cignetti. Even though UCLA is playing away from home, this Big Ten game will not be like playing at the Horseshoe in Columbus.
The fifth most challenging opponent and the most difficult non-conference team the Bruins will face in 2025 is a familiar opponent.
Utah, which was a member of the Pac-12 with UCLA, is a formidable season-opening opponent, even though this isn't a conference game; it is designated as one of the top non-conference games in all of college football. The Bruins will have to start the game off strong right away because the Utes are known for being physically strong and well-coached.