ESPN’s preseason Football Power Index isn’t giving UCLA much room to dream.
The Bruins landed at No. 64 in the latest FPI release, which slots them 15th among Big Ten teams. That’s a step down from where the program finished in the final 2025 FPI, when UCLA came in at No. 75.
The projection paints a pretty modest picture for the season ahead. ESPN has UCLA finishing 5.1-6.9, and the Bruins were given a 41.5% chance to reach six wins and become bowl eligible.
If they get there, it would mark the program’s first bowl appearance in three years. UCLA last played in a bowl in 2023, when it beat Boise State in the L.A.
Bowl.
The ceiling, at least according to ESPN’s numbers, is extremely low. UCLA was assigned a 0.1% chance to win the Big Ten title, a 1.0% chance to make the College Football Playoffs, and a 0% chance of winning the national championship.
Even compared with other preseason models, the Bruins don’t rate especially well. ESPN’s SP+ rankings have UCLA at No. 46, a much more favorable view than the FPI’s.
At the top of the Big Ten list, Ohio State sits at No. 1, followed by Oregon at No. 4 and Indiana at No. 6.
USC checks in at No. 13, Michigan at No. 15 and Penn State at No.
- The rest of the conference rankings are Iowa at No.
25, Washington at No. 26, Nebraska at No.
30, Illinois at No. 39, Wisconsin at No.
43, Northwestern at No. 60, Maryland at No.
61, Minnesota at No. 63, Michigan State at No.
65, Rutgers at No. 67 and Purdue at No. 71.
In Other News...
UCLAs Projected New Lineup Just Raised The Stakes For Mick Cronin
UCLAs roster picture for next season is starting to come into focus, and the early read from national analysts suggests there is real reason for optimism. Jon Rothstein and Bart Torvik both have the Bruins inside the top 25, with the kind of placement that usually signals a team expected to matter in March, not just survive the regular season. With returning pieces already in place and a couple of new faces expected to step into major roles, Mick Cronin has the sort of mix that can look promising on paper before the hard part begins.
The pressure now is less about talent than timing, because the Bruins have to turn that projected upside into a functional group before the opener arrives. Chemistry will be the central issue for Cronin, especially with multiple rotation pieces needing to mesh quickly and a freshman class that could alter the shape of the lineup right away. For a coach who has built his reputation on toughness and structure, this is the kind of roster that can lift expectations fast, but only if the pieces come together the way the projections suggest. [Read more 🡒]
Why Cole Martin Could Change UCLA's Secondary Ceiling
Cole Martin arrives at UCLA with the kind of rsum that makes a secondary room pay attention. A safety who has already been through Oregon and Arizona State, Martin was a four-star prospect out of Arizona and built his name early with a decorated high school career before making the jump to college football. He also showed he could contribute right away, getting on the field as a freshman at Oregon and flashing enough to keep his trajectory interesting even as he moved on to another stop.
For UCLA, the appeal is obvious: Martin brings experience, pedigree and a versatility that can raise the ceiling of a defense that always needs more reliable pieces in the back end. The Bruins are betting on a player who has already seen different systems, different expectations and different levels of pressure, and that kind of background can matter in a secondary where communication and trust are everything. What remains to be seen is how quickly that promise translates in Westwood, and whether Martin can turn a long, winding college path into a real impact for UCLA. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Star Just Delivered A Massive Draft Night Statement
Even with UCLAs season ending earlier than expected, Roch Cholowsky still left the kind of imprint that keeps scouts and front offices circling. The shortstop paired elite offense with steady defense, and his run at UCLA included back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Year awards along with consecutive first-team All-American honors, a rsum that made him one of the most polished players in the country.
Draft night only sharpened the spotlight on him. For a Bruins program that spent much of the year carrying the burden of being the nations top team before falling short of the super regionals, Cholowskys rise offered a different kind of headline, one that underscored how much talent was on that roster even as the postseason slipped away. The question now is how his arrival will fit into a White Sox organization trying to turn a corner after years of frustration. [Read more 🡒]