It’s amazing how two weeks have completely changed the narrative for the UCLA football program.
“After their 0-4 start, no one could have dreamed that the UCLA Bruins would have beaten Penn State and blown out Michigan State,” Trojans Wire writer Ethan Inman wrote in a previous article. “And yet, here we are.”
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“Head coach Tim Skipper and offensive coordinator Jerry Neuheisel have led one of the most rapid, dramatic turnarounds we have ever seen in college football history. Back-to-Back big wins over the Nittany Lions and Spartans have Bruins fans dreaming big about beating Indiana and Ohio State, which would have been a flat out insane thought after the Bruins were blown out by New Mexico State at home and DeShaun Foster was fired.”
But let’s face it, while the Bruins may have become one of the most exciting underdogs in college football after those two wins, they are also arguably the most unpredictable team in the sport. No one even knows if they are going to beat Maryland this weekend at home.
So what’s the most likely result for the rest of the season. 0-6? 6-0? 4-2 with a bowl bid? Our Trojans Wire and UCLA Wire writers gave their opinions.
Matt Zemek, Editor
It’s amazing we are even having this conversation about a team which started 0-4 and still has Indiana and Ohio State left on the schedule. Obviously, UCLA has to win every remaining non-Indiana, non-Ohio State game to go bowling. UCLA could come close. I like UCLA over Maryland and Nebraska, but one of USC or Washington will probably beat the Bruins. I think 5-7 is the ceiling for this team. Those first four games are going to be the reason this team falls short.
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Adam Bradford, Trojans Wire
I don’t think so. If they had started the year with the current coaching staff I think that they make a bowl game, but the 0-4 hole that Deshaun Foster dug them into—including losses to the two weakest opponents on their schedule—will likely be too much to overcome.
Micah Huff, Trojans Wire
They are one of the best stories in football right now. They will need a lot more magic to go undefeated the rest of the way. That is exactly what it will take. At this point, for the Bruins, any success moving forward is good success. They should be happy with all of the moral victories possible. This offense is playing with confidence but who’s to say they even beat Maryland this week.
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Ethan Inman, Trojans Wire
No. If the Bruins lose to Ohio State and Indiana, as I expect they unequivocally will, they would have to go 4-0 against Maryland, Nebraska, Washington and USC. Those four schools have a combined 19-5 record right now. I see them winning 2-3 more games before the season ends, and honestly, with the way the season started, I think a 5-3 finish after an 0-4 start would still be a massive turnaround worth celebrating in Westwood. If they can go into the season finale against USC with a 5-6 record and be fighting for bowl eligibility in the final week, that would add some fun extra intrigue to the crosstown rivalry game.
Ryan Lorenz, UCLA Wire
There’s a chance, but the odds are against them. They dug themselves into a hole and now they need to one nearly all of the remaining games to have a chance at a Bowl game. Is it likely? No, but there is a very slim chance they run the table and find themselves in contention.
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Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire
To become bowl eligible, the Bruins will have to go 4-2 over their last six games. UCLA is set to face Ohio State, Indiana, USC, Washington, Maryland and Nebraska. It’s hard to see them winning four of those games. It’ll be fun watching them compete but that’s a lot of talented teams. UCLA blew their chance at a bowl game by losing to multiple Mountain West Conference teams under DeShaun Foster.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: UCLA football bowl game chances after Penn State, Michigan State wins
