After a year hiatus of being just flat out lazy, I'm back to predicting how UCLA will do this year. This is strictly for entertainment purposes only and any fiduciary losses you take on trips to Las Vegas are entirely on you. Of course, if you happen to win a few bucks, feel free to send a gratuity my way. Away we go...
at Cincinnati - There are a couple games on August 24th, including a Florida vs Miami showdown that will require some baby back ribs to be made and some adult beverages to be consumed, but the Bruins contest with the Bearcats is when the season really gets going. A Thursday evening opener in the Queen City, UCLA is a 3-point underdog. After starting 2018 with a loss to Cincy last year, if Joshua Kelley can carry over the momentum from last season and get the UCLA running game going to take some pressure off the quarterback, I like the Bruins to get a bit of revenge and win this one outright. 1-0
San Diego State - The Aztecs aren't quite as good as they were two years ago and this is one of those games the Bruins need to have if they want to get the six wins necessary for bowl eligibility. Home opener, Chip Kelly will have them ready to win the day. 2-0
Oklahoma - The Sooners roll into the Rose Bowl a week later for a tough non-conference game. Oklahoma will be among the top 10 all year and UCLA is a little too young to deal with the firepower the Sooners will bring. This one could get very ugly, but also might be an entertaining shootout like the Texas A&M vs UCLA game a few years ago. Still, going with Boomer Sooner. 2-1
at Washington State - The Cougars lost QB Gardner Minshew and his mustache to the draft, but Pullman is one of those places, like Utah, that always seem to give the Bruins trouble. Wazzu won't be as good as last year, but should still put up points. Chip Kelly vs Mike Leach should produce a lot of points...take the over and take the Cougars to win it. 2-2
at Arizona - The Wildcats have a bye before UCLA comes to town, and the Bruins will have played four teams that went bowling last year. They should be ready to deal with a mediocre Arizona team and pull out the victory. 3-2
Oregon State - If UCLA is going bowling this year, this is a game they have to win. At home, against unquestionably the worst team in the Pac-12 by a mile. This should be a Lew Alcindor dunk, Bruins pound the Beavers. 4-2
at Stanford - Bruins have a bye before going up to Stanford for another Thursday night game. Thursday, Friday, Saturday...it doesn't seem to matter when they play this game lately, and until the Bruins show they can beat the tree, I'll keep taking the tree. 4-3
Arizona State - Sun Devils had a shocking season under Herm Edwards last year. No one thought it would work. I still don't think it will and this is an opportunity for the Bruins at home. 5-3
Colorado - The Buffaloes have been a mess since winning the Pac-12 South a few years ago. They do seem to be one of those teams that the Bruins play down to, but with bowl eligibility in sight and a bye week coming, UCLA gets by. 6-3
at Utah - If the Utes are healthy at this point, they should be looking at winning the South and possibly going to the Rose Bowl. UCLA seems to struggle in Utah (Utah or BYU) and they will again. 6-4
at USC - Before the 2017 season started, I predicted that the Trojans would beat the Bruins and the heat would turn up on current head coach Jim Mora. Well, as that season began to play out, I predicted Mora would be fired if he couldn't get past USC. He couldn't and the Bruins got the coach I've said they've needed. Time for the Bruins to return the favor. After an incredible win last year, I'm looking for UCLA to do it again and possibly get USC's coach Clay Helton fired, and possibly AD Lynn Swann as well. 7-4
California - The season finale, and if UCLA pulled off a couple upsets against Stanford, Washington State and Utah, this might be for the Pac-12 South title. I don't think it will be, but still a chance to finish 8-4 and 6-3 in conference. Chip has them up for this and a berth in a late December bowl game, setting the stage for a run at the Rose Bowl in 2020. 8-4
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