This UCLA Football Midseason Matchup Could Be Telling

The Bruins are looking to improve this year, which means they must win more games both out of conference and in conference. That will certainly be no easy task, given some of the games on their schedule, such as Michigan, Oregon, and USC.

However, some of their other games will give UCLA a better chance at winning, even if very competitive, such as Purdue and Maryland, both programs in a somewhat similar state to UCLA.

UCLA, Bob Chesne — Jul 29, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; UCLA Football head coach Bob Chesney speaks during Big Ten Media Days at Hilton Chicago. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

But one game stands out among the rest of the schedule: it is not only a rematch from last season, but also the chance for UCLA to really prove they have grown with their new and old stars. That game is the Michigan State Spartans.

Why the Spartans in Particular

MSU, Alessio Milivojevi — Michigan State's Alessio Milivojevic looks to throw during the football Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Last year, the Spartans were in a rough spot with their head coach and quarterback, both of whom have been replaced, whether in the offseason with Pat Fitzgerald or near the end of the season last year with Alessio Milivojevic.

They have also been going through a large number of transfers and role-player changes, but their key players, such as Jordan Hall, Nikai Martinez, Luka Vincic, Milivojevic, and Chrishon McCray, have remained with the team.

MSU, Chrishon McCra — Michigan State's Chrishon McCray runs after a catch during the football Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

One thing of importance is that Milivojevic did play some of the game against the Bruins, and in his short time on the field, he led the offense to a score. He will be like Iamaleava with a lot of new things around him, and by seven games into the year, he should have it figured out.

Because of this, the Spartans are expected to be a better team this year, like the Bruins, but are still undergoing many new experiences for players and coaches.

While each individual team will have grown differently in small ways, expectations for both are that they should have a chance to reach a bowl game, and their clash could be telling about who will reach that point and who will not.

What the Game Will Reveal

UCLA, Nico Iamaleav — May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) carries the ball during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If both teams grew at the same rate, the game might play out like last year's, with a blowout in favor of the Bruins, but that might not be the case this time around.

This is because MSU will be playing with Milivojevic at the helm for the entire game, among other factors, and both teams have hit the reset button, meaning they could be on a pretty even playing field.

Therefore, it will be a good measure to see how UCLA is doing for the season; if they are able to blow out the Spartans again, they are likely doing pretty well, but if they lose handily, the situation could be dire.

Of course, one game cannot tell everything about how a team is doing, given how often anomalies can occur, such as UCLA's game against Penn State last year, but regardless, it will be a great pulse-check for the team about halfway through the season.

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