Ahhh, college football season...how I've missed you!

Oh-my-O!

Once again, it's time for college football and the last season of the BCS.  Those of us who aren't college presidents are thrilled that this has finally happened and we just have one more season of this disaster.  So here's hoping Boise State, TCU, Ohio, Northern Illinois or some team from that mid-major American Athletic Conference (Big East?) is able to throw one last wrench into the system.

And as I do every year, I pick all of the UCLA games for the upcoming season in tribute to my long-time friend and long-time Bruin fan who longs for a football national title in his lifetime (or at least a return to the Rose Bowl).  Last year I greatly underestimated the gutty Bruins, and only went 7-5 picking their games in the regular season (9-5 overall with their conference championship and bowl games).  So here we go again and we'll try to get double-digits again on them after a lackluster 2012.

As always, this is dependent on the quarterback for the Bruins staying healthy.  Brett Hundley is an exciting player, but he plays QB at UCLA and that tends to set you up for some kind of knee injury every year for some reason.  Losing tight end Joseph Fauria is going to hurt UCLA this year (though they never seemed to completely utilize his talents while he was there).  The defense looks decent and it needs to be in the offensive-minded Pac 12.  It also needs to step up after the way they closed the season with three straight losses, two in blowout fashion.  So here we go...

Nevada - The Wolfpack are dangerous and have an electric QB of their own in Cody Fajardo.  They also have a new head coach, Brian Polian, replacing the Hall of Famer Chris Ault (father of the Pistol offense).  Fajardo will show flashes of Colin Kaepernick, but it won't be enough and the Bruins get their first win.

at Nebraska - UCLA stunned the Cornhuskers last year, 36-30, and sort of set the tone for their improved confidence last year.  This year they travel to Lincoln and it will be Hundley's first start at a truly loud and hostile crowd...well, as hostile as those nice folks from Nebraska can get to an opposing team.  Nebraska wins and the Bruins drop to 1-1.

New Mexico State - This is a terrible football team.  They went 1-11 last year, the lone win coming in the opener against Sacramento State.  After that, they lost 11 straight, only coming within 10 points once, in a 26-18 loss to Idaho (who also wound up 1-11).  Bruins win by three touchdowns and go to 2-1.

at Utah - Pac 12 play starts with the Utes.  I had high hopes for Utah when they joined the Pac 12 as they had played Pac 12 teams tough in recent years.  That's not been the case the first two years in the conference for them.  I don't think this is their year either and the Bruins take them out to move to 3-1 (2014 might be a different story).

California - Every year this game makes no sense and it didn't last year as the Bears crushed the Bruins 43-17 in an otherwise lost season that saw them fire their long-time coach Jeff Tedford.  So it all sets up for a payback game and the Bruins destroying Cal at the Rose Bowl.  I'll take the Bruins, but it will be close and won't be surprised if the Bears pull off some wacky upset.  4-1 and things are looking good, except...

at Stanford - Part I of a potential two-part season killer.  UCLA hasn't played Stanford well at all the last few years.  They were only a missed field goal away from sending last year's Pac 12 Championship game to overtime, but that was an anomaly.  Most of the recent games haven't been close and Stanford's front seven live in the opponent's backfield.  Stanford has a chance to play for a national title and the Bruins aren't going to be the team to stop them.  4-2 and get to follow up a hard hitting game with the Cardinal by traveling to...

at Oregon - Autzen Stadium and the quicker than lightning Ducks.  This might be as bad a set of back-to-back games in the nation.  After playing a physical game with Stanford that's going to leave them bruised and tired, they then have to keep up with the "Go-go-go-go" offense of Oregon.  Look for the Ducks to pull away in the second half over the tuckered out Bruins and win easily.  4-3.

Colorado - Well, after those two games, it will be nice to be back home with a scrimmage against the Buffaloes.  They have been every bit of terrible that they've seemed since coming to the Pac 12.  UCLA mauls them again to move to 5-3.

at Arizona - This game looks like a land mine.  UCLA beat the Wildcats 66-10 last year.  Arizona now has a year under Rich Rodriguez' system and the game is in Tuscon.  Arizona scored 48 or more points six times last year.  They may not get to that number against the Bruins, but I think they'll get into the upper 30's and win.  5-4.

Washington - The Huskies don't seem to be anything more than a 7-6 team each year and it probably doesn't change this year.  UCLA wins to move to 6-4.

Arizona State - If this was in Tempe, I'd take the Sun Devils.  But it's at the Rose Bowl and think the Bruins get the  win to move to 7-4.

at USC - Two years ago, I predicted before the season started that if UCLA lost to USC, Coach Rick Neuheisel would be fired.  Sure enough, the Trojans beat them 50-0 and Slick Rick was done.  This year, it's reversed.   If the Bruins can beat USC for the second straight season, USC Coach Lane Kiffin will be fired.  The Trojans have to be better than last year and if they're healthy coming into this game, they'll win.  Thinking last year was a fluke, in spite of Kiffin, and USC claims the Victory Bell while the Bruins drop to 7-5.

Here's to the start of another great season of great plays, shocking upsets, overtime thrillers and a battle to the last weekend of the season for each of the conferences and the BCS title game.  Enjoy the season.

What a way to start the season...North Carolina vs South Carolina.