Potential New Big Ten Rivalries for UCLA

UCLA enters its third year in the Big Ten this season, and the Bruins have had their share of struggles in the conference, particularly on the football field.

It can be hard to move to a new conference and succeed right away, and one way to do so is to add extra motivation. Nothing adds motivation to a matchup more than rivalries. UCLA carries existing rivalries against former PAC-12 foes USC and Oregon, but as they continue to adapt to the conference, it wouldn't hurt to add another.

ucla us — Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Helmets at the line of scrimmage as Southern California Trojans offensive lineman J'Onre Reed (50) snaps the ball against the UCLA Bruins in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Here are a few good candidates.

Washington Huskies

The last former PAC-12 team in the Big Ten would make perfect sense. Yes, they're technically rivals from their years in the old conference, but this one never really took off as the USC-Oregon matchups did. What better time to take it to the next level than now, when the Bruins have a new football coach and the landscape of college sports continues its constant shifts?

ucla washingto — Feb 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Washington Huskies guard Zoom Diallo (5) drives past UCLA Bruins guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) and forward Xavier Booker (1) in the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Both have had success in football and basketball, but are pretty clearly on opposite ends of the spectrum in both sports these days. Washington is coming off a 9-4 season, while UCLA's recent struggles on the gridiron are well-documented. Meanwhile, UCLA has made back-to-back NCAA basketball tournaments, while Washington has hovered below .500. Still, the geographic proximity and previous conference ties make this a no-brainer.

Michigan head coach Dusty May smiles at the podium during a celebration honoring the Wolverines’ NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026. | David Rodriguez Muñoz / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan Wolverines

This rivalry would tie together one of the old classic Rose Bowl matchups and two of the Big Ten's top academic institutions. The games haven't been particularly close lately, but the similarities and nostalgia make it an intriguing draw. Plus, there's an added element of transfers between the schools.

ucla michiga — Feb 14, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) is defended by UCLA Bruins forward Xavier Booker (1) in the first half at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Basketball center Aday Mara was the most recent significant mover, leaving the Bruins for the Wolverines last summer. New UCLA wide receiver Semaj Morgan also transferred from Michigan this spring.

Michigan State Spartans

This is another nostalgic Big Ten - PAC-12 Rose Bowl-type rivalry, with the Bruins notably knocking off an unbeaten Spartans' squad in the 1966 edition of the game. They've only played each other in football three times since then, with UCLA winning all three. Plus, both teams have new head football coaches in 2026 and will inevitably compare their successes.

ucla michigan stat — UCLA center Xavier Booker (1) looks on before a play against Michigan State during the first half of Big Ten tournament quarterfinal at United Center in Chicago on Friday, March 13, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Former Spartan Xavier Booker is also now one of UCLA's most significant basketball players, and head coach Mick Cronin and MSU head coach Tom Izzo have a respectful relationship in coaching circles, fueled by competition. UCLA also upset the Spartans in the Big Ten Basketball Tournament.

Nebraska Cornhuskers

This rivalry could spread across many sports, and the teams share the commonality of being expansion teams in the conference. And in Nebraska's early Big Ten days, it played UCLA as a nonconference opponent somewhat often. Now that they're both in the same conference, it's the perfect time to resume.

We've covered plenty about the UCLA football and basketball programs, and Nebraska has had similar struggles in both after boasting a proud football program for decades. Yet. Nebraska is one of the few Big Ten member schools that can carry this kind of rivalry into non-revenue sports like baseball, softball, wrestling, and gymnastics, where both UCLA and Nebraska have built successful programs.

Northwestern Wildcats

UCLA and Northwestern are far apart, but this makes too much sense academically not to pair the two. They've often had close battles on the football field and the basketball court, despite struggling in the Big Ten overall. For both schools, the basketball team has tended to be much better than the football team.

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