UCLA Football: The Chip Kelly era begins for the Bruins
By Shane Lunnen
Schedule and predictions
Week Date Opponent
1 Sat, Sept 1 vs Cincinnati
2 Sat, Sept 8 @ Oklahoma
3 Sat, Sept 15 vs Fresno State
4 Sat, Sept 22 BYE
5 Fri, Sept 28 @ Colorado
6 Sat, Oct 6 vs Washington
7 Sat, Oct 13 @ California
8 Sat, Oct 20 vs Arizona
9 Fri, Oct 26 vs Utah
10 Sat, Nov 3 @ Oregon
11 Sat, Nov 10 @ Arizona State
12 Sat, Nov 17 vs USC
13 Sat, Nov 24 vs Stanford
The Bruins non-conference slate has just enough firepower to probably drive the fans nuts, at least the ones with unrealistic expectations of Chip Kelly. He is not going to work miracles overnight, but the upside is his hire will pay off down the line.
Cincinnati is a good opening week challenge, but then it kicks up a few notches a week later with a trip to Norman to face the Sooners. After Oklahoma, the Bruins return home to face a Fresno State club with a stellar defense. Do not be surprised if UCLA is 1-2 before the Pac-12 slate, but they just as easily could be 2-1. The game against the Bulldogs could go either way.
The off week comes early and then it will be nine straight weeks of conference play until the end. Depending on the type of team Kelly can mold, the Bruins could be competitive in every conference game and make them really close games. They open the conference slate at Colorado, but getting Washington, USC, Arizona, and Stanford all at the Rose Bowl is advantageous.
UCLA probably wishes a terrible Oregon State was on the slate for an easy win, but people will be circling the Nov. 3 trip to Eugene, where Kelly will meet up with his old team for the first time.
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Seven wins looks to be where this UCLA team is going to end up in Kelly’s first season. As long as there are improvements on both sides of the ball, they will be moving in the positive direction and looking forward to bigger things in year two.