Pac 12 Football: Preseason 2016 Conference Power Rankings

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Sep 19, 2015; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Josh Rosen (3) sets to pass in the second quarter of the game against the Brigham Young Cougars at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

Last Season Record: 8-5 Overall, 5-4 Pac-12
Season Opener: at Texas A&M | Sept. 3
Key Games: at Texas A&M, at BYU, USC, at Cal

UCLA finished just 8-4 last season, and fell to Nebraska in its bowl game. However, don’t doubt the Bruins based on last year. They’ve got a solid core returning, and are led by sophomore quarterback Josh Rosen, who had an impressive freshman campaign.

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Rosen, who was the Pac-12 offensive freshman of the year last season with nearly 3,700 total yards and 23 touchdowns, has been compared to both Peyton Manning and Johnny Manziel. While he insists that he is going to create his own legacy and not follow in others’ footsteps, Rosen is going to need to stay at peak form to lead the Bruins to a conference title.

UCLA is ranked No. 24 in the USA Today Preseason Poll. While they don’t have the easiest of schedules out there (starting with Texas A&M), the Bruins host both Stanford and Arizona, something that could give them a huge advantage late in the season.

Who knows? If things go right, they could be in the conference title hunt too.

Next: Number 2

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