Ranking UCLA's Most Important Games: No. 10

Each game in a college football season is important, but some matchups do hold weight over the others.

Oct 5, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster walks on the field during a warmup prior to the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

We're officially three weeks away from UCLA's season opener, and the Bruins are one of the biggest stories in college football.

With a ton of expectations preceding them, let's rank the Bruins' most important games on the schedule, moving on to No. 10 -- Week 6 vs Penn State.

You're probably asking yourself, "Why is UCLA's game against one of the best teams in the nation so low on the rankings?" Well, the answer is in the question. The Bruins will be massive underdogs against the Nittany Lions, who are projected to be one of, if not the, best teams in the nation.

Sure, an upset against Penn State would be massive, but it's highly unlikely, which is why it's ranked so early in the rankings. The only reason it's more important than the games ranked 12th and 11th is because it's a conference game.

Apr 26, 2025; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) throws a pass during a warm up prior to the Blue White spring game at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

If anything, the four games leading up to UCLA's clash against Penn State are the most important. There's a very real possibility that the Bruins can go into this matchup 4-0.

Analyst Previews Penn State

Want to know more about the Nittany Lions going into the season? Well, ESPN's Bill Connelly previews them, here's what he had to say:

"Franklin has made college football predictable in an almost jarring way: Over the past three seasons, Penn State is 34-2 as a favorite, 27-0 when favored by at least six points. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions are 0-6 as underdogs. They win and lose the games they're supposed to. That makes them very successful. It also gives them a glass ceiling.

"If that doesn't change now, will it ever? Penn State has more proven entities than any team in college football in 2025. Franklin is one of the sport's best head coaches, offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki helped PSU improve from 30th to ninth in offensive SP+ in his first season calling plays, and in the past decade alone, new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has crafted Oklahoma State's best defense in 15 years, Ohio State's best in 25 and Duke's best in 60-plus. He's magnificent.

Jul 23, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Penn State head coach James Franklin speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

"Penn State has finished seventh or better in defensive SP+ for four straight years and six of the past eight, and Knowles inherits known quality at every position: end Dani Dennis-Sutton and tackle Zane Durant (combined: 26 TFLs, 11.5 sacks) up front, Tony Rojas, Dom DeLuca and North Carolina transfer Amare Campbell at linebacker and corner A.J. Harris and safety Zakee Wheatley in the back. The depth isn't amazing -- of the 17 defenders with at least 300 snaps last year, only eight return, including only two of six up front -- but when you have a track record, you get the benefit of the doubt.

"On offense, running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton both return for their senior seasons; in three years, they've combined for a jaw-dropping 6,979 yards from scrimmage (5.9 per touch) and 68 touchdowns. The offensive line returns four starters, including an All-America candidate in guard Vega Ioane, and the receiving corps, which was far too limited last season, received portal upgrades in Devonte Ross (Troy), Trebor Pena (Syracuse) and Kyron Hudson (USC). All-world tight end Tyler Warren is gone, but returning TEs Luke Reynolds and Khalil Dinkins are good by non-Warren standards, and if the wideouts are ready to produce more, that's a net win.

"That leaves Drew Allar. The No. 2 pocket passer in the 2022 recruiting class, he was seen as a savior from the moment he arrived in Happy Valley; it was going to be almost impossible for him to live up to the hype. But after an up-and-down 2023 debut, he improved in his first year with Kotelnicki, throwing for 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns and finishing 17th in Total QBR. He's clearly good, but it's difficult to win three or four CFP games with a merely top-20 quarterback. He probably needs to prove he has one more gear, though having such an outstanding supporting cast will help.

"If PSU continues the "win as a favorite, lose as a dog" thing in 2025, the Nittany Lions probably will reach the Big Ten championship game again, having lost only at Ohio State on Nov. 1. They'll probably be favored in every other game, especially through a ridiculously weak nonconference slate (Nevada, Florida International, Villanova). Rarely do all the arrows point in the right direction the way they are for the Nittany Lions heading into this season. It would be a shame not to take advantage of that."

The Bruins are obviously projected to lose this game, which makes their four games prior to this one even more important in stacking win towards securing a bowl game bid.

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