Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
It was a successful 2012 season for the UCLA Bruins as the team finished 9-5, even with a three-game losing streak to end the season. The Bruins also were one of the best offensive teams in the whole country. As the 2013 season approaches, a simple look at the schedule shows a very strong possibility that the Bruins won’t have as good of a record this time around. There is a chance that this UCLA team doesn’t win more than seven games.
There are road trips to visit the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Stanford Cardinal and Oregon Ducks on the schedule along with a crosstown trip to see the USC Trojans. I don’t like the team’s chances of winning many if any of those games. The Pac-12 has become a much better conference in recent years from top to bottom and with the quality of talent out there, winning a ton of games isn’t easy.
The Bruins already have to replace Johnathan Franklin in the backfield and while Brett Hundley will be back at quarterback, the quality of road games is overwhelming to me.
UCLA really faltered down the stretch last year including two straight losses to Stanford. I feel fairly confident in thinking that the USC game could be for that seventh win. I just don’t like what the Bruins have going on right now. It is only spring and things could change but the offense just isn’t going to be as good in 2013 without Franklin in the backfield.
There is a great chance in 2014 that UCLA makes a run at a national title but this coming season isn’t going to be that year.
Andy Schmidt is a columnist/writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @ASchmidtSports, like his Facebook page or add him to your network on Google.
