UCLA Football: 2025 Game-By-Game Schedule Predictions

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The 2025 college football season is inching closer, and the UCLA Bruins are faced with a gauntlet of a schedule.

Following the college football landscape’s conference realignment in 2024, UCLA joined a stacked Big Ten conference. This new environment has made the matchups much more competitive for the Blue and Gold.

With its Big Ten debut in the rear view mirror, second-year head coach DeShaun Foster and UCLA are looking to claim the conference’s top spot.
Let’s dive into how I believe the Bruins’ 2025 slate will shape out.

UCLA Football: 2025 Game-By-Game Schedule Predictions

August 30: vs Utah Utes

UCLA welcomes a former Pac-12 foe in the Utah Utes to the Rose Bowl for its season opener.

UCLA’s revamped program, along with a promising offense, will look to make a statement early in the season. A convincing win over Utah will kickstart a bounce-back tour.

Utah has a well-rounded defense that can limit both the pass and run game. But, losing some of its defensive anchors could allow for UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava to have a huge first outing as a Bruin.

Defensively, the Bruins will have to contain the legs of quarterback Devon Dampier if they want to leave with a win. Keeping Dampier in the pocket, forcing him to make plays with his arm, could lead to some turnovers and ultimately a win.

Prediction: 27-23, Win (1-0)

September 6: at UNLV Rebels

With the pressure of securing the season’s first win off of UCLA’s shoulders, the Blue and Gold will head to Sin City with a matchup against the UNLV Rebels.

Coming off a feel-good win, the Bruins will carry the momentum into their first road game. Despite an 11-3 outing in 2024, UNLV is simply outmatched. UCLA’s talent and firepower will decide the outcome early. Expect a busy evening for the Bruins’ running back room.

However, the biggest point of emphasis will be keeping UNLV’s rushing attack in check. The Rebels were an elite rushing offense last season (243.5 yards per game), making it a true test for the fresh faces in UCLA’s front seven.

Nonetheless, I have the Bruins remaining undefeated.

Prediction: 34-14, Win (2-0)

September 12: vs New Mexico Lobos

UCLA comes back and sends Westwood partying into the bye week with a win over New Mexico.

It’s hard to see the first three weeks shape out in any other way. With how Foster has assembled his unit, the Bruins are built to be explosive — reminiscent of the Chip Kelly days.

New Mexico is a program that has not eclipsed a .500 record since 2016. This is most likely the easiest pairing the Blue and Gold will have in 2025. Last season, the Lobos couldn’t stop a nosebleed on defense. Iamaleava is too good a quarterback not to have a possible career day in Week 3.

The Bruins will glide through non-conference play, building confidence, connections and timing as they ramp into the thick of their schedule.

Prediction: 42-10, Win (3-0)

September 27: at Northwestern Wildcats

Fresh off the bye week, with minor adjustments made, UCLA will make a trip to Illinois for its first Big Ten matchup. Though not the toughest Big Ten opponent, conference duels are usually more dicey.

The Wildcats went 4-8 last season. The reason why? In the conference, they were bottom-five in points, yards, opponents’ points and passing yards per game.

The favorable matchup should leave the Bruins with their best starting record since 2022.

The Wildcats’ offensive line is a liability, leaving them in constant scramble mode. Additionally, the Bruins will be well rested and their multi-faceted offense should be on full display. The Wildcats will be playing catch-up, and the Bruins will take home their first conference win.

Prediction: 23-17, Win (4-0)

October 4: vs No. 2 Penn State Nittany Lions

The high finally ends for UCLA as Penn State rolls into SoCal.

The Nittany Lions are fresh off a 13-3 season where their run ended at the College Football Playoff Semifinals. Penn State isn’t ranked No. 2 for no reason. They have been a wrecking ball in the Big Ten conference and are looking to have four-straight seasons with 10-plus wins.

I see this game being competitive for the first two quarters before Penn State becomes too overwhelming. They have a roster constructed with many future NFL players, and a front-seven that is championship-caliber.

UCLA’s offensive line will struggle, Iamaleava will be on the run and the rushing attack will be quickly neutralized. The unproven defensive group of UCLA will also have its hands full.

It’s going to be a tough one, but it won’t be one that’ll scar the rest of the season.

Prediction: 38-21, Loss (4-1)

October 11: at Michigan State Spartans

It’s the middle of the season, and the long flights from the West Coast will start to show its signs. Additionally, the weather could be a factor in this matchup — UCLA losses in heartbreaking fashion to the Spartans.
Michigan State is not a team that fully dominates one aspect, but rather a squad that performs well in all three phases. That constant pressure could cause this to be UCLA’s trap game. It should be one that the Bruins win on paper, but games are played on the field.
The Bruins could also suffer from a hangover following a beatdown the week prior. Not coming in with the right mindset kills drives and momentum. Nonetheless, the outcome will be decided by inches, and special teams will be a major factor. UCLA falls to 1-2 in conference play.

Prediction: 17-14, Loss (4-2)

October 18: vs Maryland Terrapins

The road back to the win column starts here, at the Rose Bowl.
Maryland possesses a viable threat, but struggles to stop a well-designed offense. If Iamaleava becomes everything that he’s been hyped up to be up to this point, it’s hard to see any average defense putting a cap on his offense. Furthermore, as the season progresses, teams begin to lose their edge. However, given the depth UCLA has added, they’re a program that could be built to last through January.
The young Bruins will learn how to close out tightly contested games and regain their early-season mojo.
Prediction: 28-20, Win (5-2)

October 25: at No. 20 Indiana Hoosiers

Despite being ranked, the Hoosiers will be left stunned by the Bruins.

I mentioned that Michigan State is UCLA’s schedule loss. It’ll be the same circumstance for Indiana this time around. The Hoosiers should regress after an 11-2 season, but will remain competitive. They’ll have an offense that will complement transfer quarterback Fernando Mendoza extremely well, and a defense that is a living nightmare.

This is the only game that I’m truly on the fence about. The analytics will point to Indiana winning, but UCLA will edge a victory in a slugfest. Keep an eye on who wins on third down and in the penalty battle. Essentially, this is set up to be one of the closest finishes the Bruins will have all year, and it will be their ticket to go bowling.

I have Foster heavily relying on his run game to sneak in a victory in a hostile environment.

Prediction: 21-20, Win (6-2)

November 8: vs Nebraska Cornhuskers

This might be the most evenly matched the Bruins will be all year. It won’t be the most technically sound football game, but it will be a fun one to watch. In last year’s matchup, the Blue and Gold took a 27-20 victory on the road.

Both teams have young, promising quarterbacks who put on a show every time they step out onto the field. The Cornhuskers’ Dylan Raiola is entering his sophomore year and has another opportunity to make a leap. His freshman campaign had a fair share of ups and downs, so if he can remain consistent, UCLA will have a lot to handle.

It’ll be back-and-forth, with neither team giving an inch. It could very well be decided with whoever has the ball last.

Prediction: 24-20, Loss (6-3)

November 15: at No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes

If playing the No. 2-ranked team earlier in the season wasn’t tough enough, No. 3 Ohio State squeezes into the Bruins’ schedule. The last time these two schools met was in 2001 when Foster was rushing for the Blue and Gold. The current UCLA head coach rushed for 66 yards in that game as the Bruins outlasted the Buckeyes 13-6.

The Buckeyes are one of the most storied programs in the nation and have consistently dominated competition for decades. We would have to travel back to the 2006 season to find the last time Ohio State lost more than two games.

Moreover, it’s going to be a hard watch for Bruins fans this week.

Jeremiah Smith is emerging into superstar status, and UCLA just doesn’t have the defensive firepower to slow down the sophomore wideout. The road atmosphere will also play a factor. No signs point to Westwood celebrating a win.

Prediction: 38-17, Loss (6-4)

November 22: vs Washington Huskies

Another former Pac-12 opponent that UCLA knows far too well. Not only does the familiarity help with this matchup, but it’s also the fact that Washington is not the powerhouse they were a few years ago. There’s no more Michael Penix Jr., Rome Odunze or Ja’Lynn Polk running through teams for the Huskies.

However, they are a squad that is back on the come-up after a 6-7 season. But it’s not their time yet, and UCLA bounces back after an embarrassing loss. A win here brings back confidence to a young team that has battled all year long. At this point, they have exceeded all expectations.

Nonetheless, the road to a win at home against the Huskies will be focused on how well the Bruins can spread Washington out and expose an interior defensive line that is not well-polished. Again, the upcoming talent that Washington possesses, especially in the backfield, makes it a close game.

The Bruins escape losing three in a row and secure a record above .500 — massive for a program that had no positive trajectory last season.

Prediction: 24-17, Win (7-4)

November 29: at USC Trojans

With a bowl game approaching, nothing holds more value to the fans than one of the most decorated rivalries in all of sports — UCLA versus USC. The battle of SoCal. It doesn’t get better than this. The energy, the trash talk, the buildup is pure cinema for a matchup as such.

The two LA schools have tossed leather 94 times, with USC holding a 53-34-7 record against the Bruins. For a game and atmosphere like this, the names and numbers on paper almost don’t matter.

Heading down the freeway for a battle at the Coliseum for the final regular-season game, UCLA is en route to stamping a major win over the Trojans.

It’s going to be an offensive clinic on both sides. This might be Iamaleava’s Heisman moment. Both teams are fighting to be better than just average, and a win here could solidify that. As mentioned, UCLA is built to go toe-to-toe with any offense, and USC is a gritty team that finds ways to win.

USC’s Ja’Kobi Lane and UCLA’s Kwazi Gilmer are primed to have their own wide receiver battle, while Iamaleava and Jayden Maiava showcase their full skillset behind center. It’s going to be must-watch TV.

Prediction: 42-38, Win (8-4)

UCLA Football: Final Thoughts on the Schedule

The 2025 season will be determined by UCLA’s quarterback play. The team will only go as far as Iamaleava takes them. Of course, there are two sides to the ball, and the defense is set up with many challenges and opportunities to prove themselves.
Coach Foster made a point during the recruiting and transfer portal phase, showing that he’s willing to go all in to build a winning reputation. The sky is the limit for these young Bruins, and time will only tell how well they actually perform.

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Eric is a lifelong Angeleno and a sports journalist who graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. He joined The League Winners in January of 2025, and is the lead beat writer for the UCLA Bruins. Follow Eric on X (formerly known as Twitter) @EricHayrapetian.

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