UCLA 2011

I started this blog last year with the first post being a forecast of the UCLA Bruins' upcoming season.  And since College Football basks in tradition, I'll start this year off the same way.  The Bruins always intrigue me as to why they can't seem to get the talent that other Pac-12 schools get or when they do get it, why they can't do anything with it.  Last year, I picked them to go 3-9 with a seven-game losing streak to end the season.  They finished 4-8, losing 6 of their last 7...I finished 9-3 picking their games.  So, once again, if you're just looking to play the money line, here's my picks for UCLA in 2011:

at Houston - Win - A tough one, with the return of Case Keenum for the Cougars, but the Bruins generally don't lose out of conference games (though Neuheisel is changing that perception: see Kansas State, Fresno State the last couple of years).

San Jose State - Win - Bruins get a win that has a score that's misleading.  Spartans will hang in there for awhile but will eventually wear out and UCLA will pull away. 

Texas - Loss - I don't know what to expect from the Longhorns.  They have now lost the last two games against the Bruins by a combined score of 100-15 (yeah, there were a few years between meetings).  I'm picking Texas to finally figure out a team that is less talented than them and get some payback for the pain they caused this poor girl.

at Oregon State - Loss - Bruins struggle in Oregon and this year will be no exception.  Fortunately for them, they get the Oregon team that didn't hang 60 on them last year.

at Stanford - Loss - Andrew Luck is too good to get beat by a Bruin defense that will be breaking in a number of new players and the Cardinal will look to pound it on the ground.  Stanford by two touchdowns.

Washington State - Win - By a quirk of the new Pac-12, Washington State gets to come to sunny California two years in a row.  Bruins win to get their record even at 3-3.  Like last year, this game will be the high-water mark for UCLA.  Enjoy .500, it's about to get ugly again.

at Arizona - Loss - The Wildcats look fairly solid this year.  I'll take the solid team over the team Neuheisel referred to in spring practice as "a bunch of guys".

Cal - Loss - I don't have a feel one way or another on how Cal will do this year but can't see them losing to their little brother in this one.

Arizona State - Loss - The Sun Devils appear ready to make a run at the Pac-12 title.  Of course, they've looked ready before and then spun out of control like a freshman girl at her first Halloween kegger.

at Utah - Loss - Depending on how Utah does in their first conference game against USC, I can see them winning the South and meeting Oregon in the first Pac-12 Championship game.  Think new Utah Offensive Coordinator Norm Chow will enjoy some payback at the expense of the Bruins?

Colorado - Win - The Buffaloes are bad and are the only reason the Bruins aren't picked to finish last in the Pac-12 South.  This could be the type of game where you're hoping the station is going to interrupt it with Cheerleader Championships.  If people are grumbling about Neuheisel at this point in the season, the distractions may prove too much and they'll lose this game.

at USC - Loss - When Neuheisel arrived at UCLA he made the bold statement that "The football monopoly in Los Angeles is officially over".  I think they misquoted him and he meant to say "The football monopoly in Los Angeles is officially over there" as he pointed toward USC.  Another loss to their rivals and this will be the one that signals the end of Rick Neuheisel's career at UCLA.

A repeat of last year's 4-8 finish.  I'm not sure how Coach Rick Neuheisel can keep his job with another year like this.  He's currently 15-27 in three seasons and has never finished higher than 8th in the Pac-10.  His predecessor, Karl Dorrell, while not a great coach at least went 35-27 and never finished lower than 5th.

At least we can take some joy from the top-tier talent that the Bruins are still able to get to cheer their team on.  "Every man, woman and child...I want an 8-Clap..."