UCLA Football: 3 signs that the Chip Kelly era will be great

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ARLINGTON, TX – JANUARY 12: The Ohio State Buckeyes kick off to the Oregon Ducks during the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at AT&T Stadium on January 12, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

1. Defined path to Pac-12 title and College Football Playoff

The Pac-12 South is in an interesting situation right now. The USC Trojans still have a slight shot at the College Football Playoff and had little resistance in making it to the Pac-12 Championship Game. Arizona and Arizona State were the only two other teams in the division that finished with winning records in the Pac-12 and overall.

One of the favorites to be a dark horse for both the Playoff and Pac-12 next year will be UCLA. Arizona does return star quarterback and human highlight reel Khalil Tate. And, it’s never a smart move to count out the Utah Utes with Kyle Wittingham at the helm.

However, USC and UCLA look like the two clear contenders for the Pac-12 South. A lot depends on the fate of both Rosen and USC sophomore quarterback Sam Darnold. If Darnold declares for the 2018 NFL Draft, that throws a wrench in USC’s contention hopes for 2018.

Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Complete first round after Week 13

The difference that Kelly was able to make with the Ducks was nearly immediate. Oregon was a national contender every year under Kelly, and either made it to the National Championship or at least a BCS Bowl each season.

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