2008 Previews: UCLA

By Tim Cottrell
Sports Writer/Designer
Published: June 30, 2008

UCLA is No. 21 on our list. Previews of all 65 BCS conference schools, plus Notre Dame and state schools, will be posted daily in no particular order. To view all previews, click here.

I don’t know about you, but I’m excited to have Rick Neuheisel back in college football.

From getting fired for an office pool to his teams’ penchant for lawlessness to one of his players at Colorado allegedly threatening to kill him at practice (I wish I could find the 10-year-old ESPN mag story on this but can’t), there’s bound to be fun.

And that’s not even mentioning his love of playing acoustic guitar on his TV show.

He and Pete Carroll are bound to get along famously in LA.

He returns to his alma mater to find the deck stacked against him this season.

The Bruins return just seven starters and virtually everyone is coming off surgery from injuries suffered last season or in spring practice.

Long-time starter Ben Olson is back but is coming off foot surgery, so Kevin Craft could very well be the starter for at least a portion of the season.

They’ve only got two linemen coming back, and the only skill player returning is a tight end.

Defensively the Bruins weren’t bad last year, but only return four starters. Although defense doesn’t seem to be the question mark.

With a brutal non-conference slate, and the fact that the entire Pac-10 plays each other so they can’t get lucky and miss someone and replace them with a cupcake, it’s probably going to be a tough year one for the Rick Neuheisel Experience.

Here’s the schedule:

Sept. 1: Tennessee
The only thing that will keep this close is the Vols are going cross-country with a new quarterback.

Sept. 13: at BYU
The Cougars are going to be very good this year.

Sept. 20: Arizona
UCLA will have a chance in this one since it’s at home, but the Wildcats are on a collision course with their bowl destiny this season.

Sept. 27: Fresno State
The Bulldogs are also looking strong in 2008.

Oct. 4: Washington State
This is probably going to be the Bruins’ first win of the year.

Oct. 11: at Oregon
Eugene is no easy place to get a win.

Oct. 18: Stanford
But at least they’ll always have Stanford to kick around.

Oct. 25: at California
UCLA solidified the Golden Bears’ downward spiral with a win last year. Don’t look for a repeat in Berkeley.

Nov. 8: Oregon State
UCLA needs this one, and should be able to get it.

Nov. 15: at Washington
Neuheisel returns to Seattle!

Nov. 28: at Arizona State
The Friday Night Massacre.

Dec. 6: USC
An ugly finish to an ugly year.

The Bruins are probably looking at a 4-8 start to the Neuheisel era.