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UCLA Football: Game-by-game predictions for 2021 season

By Connor Muldowney

Dec 19, 2020; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins tight end Greg Dulcich (85) catches a touchdown pass in the second half of the game against the Stanford Cardinal at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 19, 2020; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins tight end Greg Dulcich (85) catches a touchdown pass in the second half of the game against the Stanford Cardinal at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Chip Kelly’s seat has been heating up over the past couple of years with UCLA football and a 10-21 start to your tenure will do that to you.

But 2020 was a nice step in the right direction. The Bruins went just 3-4 a year ago, but every single loss was by single-digits and none by more than six points. They were in every single game from USC to Oregon and if a few things went differently, we could be talking about a UCLA team fresh off a 6-1 or 7-0 season.

The Bruins have a brutal schedule in 2021, though. Things aren’t going to be easier for UCLA and Kelly but if the Bruins can build off the momentum from last season, they can seriously contend in the Pac-12 and put pressure on teams like USC, Washington, Utah, and Oregon.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson is back for a junior season and he has 19 starters around him back. He will lead one of the better offenses in the Pac-12 this year, especially with guys like Greg Dulcich, Brittain Brown, and Kyle Phillips back. Zach Charbonnet also transferred in from Michigan to bolster the backfield.

UCLA returns 10 starters on defense and the group was ranked No. 6 in the Pac-12 last season and 69th in the country. It was also No. 7 in the conference in scoring. It should be much better in 2021.

Will the Bruins be bowl-bound for the first time in the Kelly era?

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