UCLA’s move into the Big Ten hasn’t erased its old connections, and the Bruins’ 2026 schedule is packed with a mix of familiar names and long-absent opponents. Some of these series are deep, some are barely there, and a few carry enough recent history to still feel fresh.
The non-conference slate opens with California, a matchup that brings back an old Pac-12 pairing. UCLA owns the series 57-36-1 and will see Cal for the first time since the conference split.
The Bruins and Bears used to play every year, but they haven’t met since 2023. Both teams enter with new head coaches, which adds another layer to a season opener that already comes with plenty of history.
San Diego State is a different kind of rivalry - or lack of one. UCLA leads that series 22-1-1, but there hasn’t been much volume to it. The teams have played only twice since 2009, and one of those games was the Bruins’ only loss to the Aztecs.
The Big Ten portion of the schedule includes several matchups that have barely existed on the calendar. UCLA’s opener against Purdue is one of them. The Bruins lead the series 3-2-0, but the teams have only met five times, and this will be their first game against each other since 198o.
Maryland is another conference opponent with a thin history against UCLA. The Bruins lead the series 2-1, and before last season, the teams hadn’t played since 1955. Now they’ll square off again as league opponents.
There’s much more baggage with Oregon. UCLA leads the series 38-35, but recent results have tilted hard toward the Ducks, who have won 11 of the last 12 meetings. That makes this one of the more recognizable old Pac-12 matchups on the Bruins’ schedule.
Wisconsin has its own place in UCLA lore, even if the series is short. The Bruins lead 7-4, and the history includes memorable moments - and one especially forgettable one tied to the 1999 Rose Bowl Game.
Michigan State is another opponent UCLA has seen only sparingly. The Bruins lead the series 4-3, and aside from last season’s trip to East Lansing, the teams hadn’t met since 1974.
Nevada barely registers in the series record, but it’s still part of the mix. UCLA leads 1-0, and the only previous meeting came in 2013.
Minnesota brings a little more imbalance the other way. The Golden Gophers lead 3-1, and before Minnesota beat UCLA in Pasadena last season, the two programs hadn’t met since 1978.
Illinois sits right in the middle at 4-4. The teams have met five times since 1983, with UCLA winning four of the last five, though Illinois took the most recent game in 2025.
Michigan is finally back on the schedule after a previously planned series was canceled by the Wolverines a few years ago. Michigan leads 8-3, and this will be the first meeting between the programs since 2000, when UCLA came away with the win.
And then there’s USC, the one that always stands apart. The Trojans lead the all-time series 52-34-7. Before last season, the rivalry had been trading wins back and forth, but USC has taken the last two.
In Other News...
Mick Cronin Just Took A Huge Swing Fans Have Been Waiting For
Mick Cronins recruiting momentum has started to show up well beyond the current cycle, with UCLA already building on the 2026 class after landing top prospect Nikola Kusturica. The Bruins staff is also pushing ahead into the future, turning attention to the 2027 and 2028 classes as it tries to keep its roster pipeline moving and regain the kind of talent flow that can sustain a national program.
One of the more notable early swings came with a scholarship offer to Jordan Mize, a highly regarded wing prospect who fits the modern UCLA profile with his versatility and athleticism. Mize has not committed yet, but the offer signals that Cronin and his staff are aiming higher and earlier, and they are clearly trying to make a real impression on a player whose stock has already drawn plenty of attention. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Camp Battles Could Decide How Far Chesneys First Team Can Go
Training camp has a different feel when a roster is still sorting itself out, and that is where UCLA finds itself under Bob Chesney. The Bruins have one clear answer at quarterback with Nico Iamaleava back in place, but beyond that, most of the lineup is still up for grabs as the staff sorts through a long list of battles that will shape how quickly this team can settle in for 2026.
Some of the early edges are already taking shape, with James Madison transfers Wayne Knight and Sahir West expected to step into major roles at running back and edge rusher. Even so, the real intrigue is in the spots where multiple players are still fighting for first-team work, especially along the line and in the receiver mix, where the depth chart could look very different by the time camp ends. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Is Showing Fans Who Matters First In This New Era
UCLAs new football calendar is starting to take shape, and the early signs point to a program trying to balance tradition with a little more reach. Training camp opens Aug. 12, with the first week staying on campus before the Bruins shift their work to Cal State Fullerton and then come back to Westwood. It is a small logistical change on paper, but it gives the staff a chance to reset the rhythm of camp while still keeping the focus on the rosters most important voices.
Those voices will be front and center at Big Ten Media Days, where quarterback Nico Iamaleava, defensive back Cole Martin, linebacker Samuel Omosigho and head coach Bob Chesney are set to represent the Bruins. For a team trying to define itself in a new era, those are the people UCLA is choosing to put in front of the conference first, which says plenty about where the program wants the attention to go before camp really gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]