The UCLA Bruins will look to make big strides in their first season under head coach Chip Kelly but can they contend for a Pac-12 title this soon?
The 2017 UCLA Bruins were a roller coaster of emotions that ended in quite the blaze. Jim Mora started the season as head coach of the Bruins and was fired before it even came to a finish, after yet another disappointing start to the season.
The Bruins would win six games on the season and make the Cactus Bowl, where they got hammered by Kansas State, 35-17. Josh Rosen would sit out the bowl game as he prepared himself for the NFL Draft.
There were plenty of departures for the Bruins, but losing Rosen is the biggest. While the team was up and down, Rosen had established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the nation and delivered an incredible comeback against Texas A&M after being down 44-10 at one point in the game. It will be a bit of a different look at quarterback this season with Devon Modster taking over, with Michigan transfer Wilton Speight in the mix.
However, the excitement for the Bruins has probably never been higher. Before the season was over in 2017, the program hired Chip Kelly to be the next head coach of the program. After a stint in the NFL that didn’t ultimately work out as he was hoping, Kelly now has a chance to take college football by storm once again.
Back in the Pac-12, Kelly has an opportunity to elevate a program that can push the level of competition in the conference. His first season is going to be turning around a program that was mired in mediocrity under Mora. The best-case scenario in a season full of tough opponents is that they can scratch off a couple of signature wins and hit a middle of the season run over Pac-12 South opponents. The biggest would be winning Kelly’s return to Oregon on Nov. 3.
Best-Case Scenario
- Sept. 1 vs. Cincinnati – W
- Sept. 8 at Oklahoma – L
- Sept. 15 vs. Fresno State – W
- Sept. 28 at Colorado – W
- Oct. 6 vs. Washington – L
- Oct. 13 at California – W
- Oct. 20 vs. Arizona – W
- Oct. 26 vs. Utah – W
- Nov. 3 at Oregon – W
- Nov. 10 at Arizona State – W
- Nov. 17 vs. USC – W
- Nov. 24 vs Stanford – L
The worst-case scenario here is that this program in transition needs time and the first season is full of up and downs. They have a difficult schedule with Oklahoma, Washington, USC, Stanford and Oregon all on tap. Then quality opponents such as Arizona, Utah and California really make this the potential to see things go south in a hurry. That could even mean missing a bowl game in Kelly’s first season.
Worst-Case Scenario
- Sept. 1 vs. Cincinnati – W
- Sept. 8 at Oklahoma – L
- Sept. 15 vs. Fresno State – W
- Sept. 28 at Colorado – W
- Oct. 6 vs. Washington – L
- Oct. 13 at California – W
- Oct. 20 vs. Arizona – L
- Oct. 26 vs. Utah – W
- Nov. 3 at Oregon – L
- Nov. 10 at Arizona State – L
- Nov. 17 vs. USC – L
- Nov. 24 vs Stanford – L
The Bruins should hopefully get through September with three wins. That gives them eight games the rest of the way to find their way to three more wins and a bowl game. The end of the season features some difficult opponents, but if they can take care of their home games, it should be a step forward for the Kelly regime.