CBS Sports is buying into a bounce-back year for UCLA in 2026.
In its Big Ten projections, CBS has the Bruins finishing 10th in the league with a 7-5 overall mark and a 5-4 record in conference play. That would be a noticeable step forward for a program entering the Bob Chesney era after a rough stretch that ended with only three wins last season.
Chesney, hired away from James Madison, is set to become the 20th head coach in program history. UCLA moved on from Deshaun Foster, and the arrival of a new staff, new players and what the source described as renewed energy has changed the feel around the program.
CBS seems to believe that change will show up quickly. Brad Crawford wrote, "Under first-year coach Bob Chesney, the Bruins are already trending toward more structure and physicality on both sides of the ball. Chesney's program-building approach should stabilize a team that's often been volatile in recent seasons, especially late in games."
The schedule also gives UCLA a path to improve. Chesney opens with three manageable non-conference games and avoids Ohio State, Penn State and Iowa.
At the same time, the Bruins still have to navigate Oregon, Michigan, Illinois and USC. They also get seven total home games, including five in Big Ten play.
CBS projected UCLA to handle San Diego State and Nevada out of conference, while picking up league wins over Purdue, Maryland, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Illinois. The losses in the model come against California in the season opener, plus Oregon, Minnesota, Michigan and USC.
Elsewhere in CBS Sports’ projected Big Ten standings, Oregon is picked to win the league at 11-1 overall and 8-1 in conference, with Ohio State right behind at 10-2 and 8-1. Indiana checks in at 10-2, while USC, Washington, Penn State and Iowa are all projected at 9-3. Michigan lands at 8-4, Illinois at 8-4, and Wisconsin joins UCLA at 7-5.
The rest of the projection has Nebraska at 6-6, Minnesota at 6-6, Northwestern and Rutgers at 4-8, and Maryland, Michigan State and Purdue each at 3-9.
In Other News...
UCLA May Have Found Its Most Intriguing Defensive Line Wild Card
Aiden Gobaira arrives at UCLA as one of the more intriguing additions on the defensive line, the kind of player whose path makes the arrival itself part of the story. A highly regarded recruit coming out of high school, he drew major attention before landing at Notre Dame, and his talent has never been in question for evaluators who remember what made him such a coveted prospect in the first place.
What makes him especially interesting for the Bruins is the way he has already proven he can fight back into form after a detour that could have ended a career. Gobaira resurfaced at James Madison and gave the Dukes a full season of dependable production, showing enough burst and disruption to suggest he still has something to offer at a Power Four level. For UCLA, that makes him less of a depth add and more of a wild card worth watching when the defensive line rotation starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Just Won A Recruiting Battle Fans Have Waited On
UCLAs defensive recruiting push picked up a notable boost when Myles Baker, a highly regarded safety prospect out of California, moved into the Bruins class. The four-star defender had long been on the radar as one of the better players in the state, and his appeal goes beyond one position thanks to the kind of versatility that college staffs covet on defense.
What makes this one matter for UCLA is the path it took to get here. The Bruins stayed on Baker through the spring and summer, brought him back to campus multiple times and made sure he got an official visit, all while battling a rival program that had initially secured his pledge. For a team trying to stack defensive talent, landing a player like Baker is the sort of win that can resonate well beyond one recruiting cycle. [Read more 🡒]