Ideal Matchups for UCLA football in 'The Alliance' era
There is still a lot up in there when it comes to how the new partnership between the Pac-12, ACC and Big Ten is going to impact college football schedules.
For now, all we know is that somewhere down the road, it will.
The Pac-12, ACC, and Big Ten announced an official alliance between the three conferences and 41 schools Tuesday. Part of that alliance – along with representing like-minded institutions on the most important debates in college sports – will be centered around currently undefined scheduling partnerships in football, men's basketball and women's basketball.
UCLA football has its nonconference schedule fully booked through 2026, in addition to two of its three slots being taken up in 2027. While the 2022 and 2023 slates don't include any Power Five opponents, the Bruins will play one of either LSU, Georgia, Auburn or Wisconsin for each of the following seven seasons.
The schedule isn't as crowded as it may seem at first glance, however, with some potential flexibility coming down the line.
The Pac-12 could very well decide to reduce its nine-game conference schedule down to eight, which the ACC and SEC have already adopted. That would open up one more week of nonconference play for the Bruins and their Pac-12 counterparts, as would simply buying themselves out of their contracts with smaller programs that don't provide much of an attendance or TV draw.
Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff said Tuesday he is currently making the rounds to every campus in the conference, gathering information from football programs and athletic directors on how to approach College Football Playoff expansion and other issues moving forward. He said he aims to wrap that all up by Sept. 28, and a shortened conference slate could certainly be in the cards if that's what the universities decide is best.
So whether it happens in 2022 or 2028, UCLA should start scoping out teams to play in football. These are the five ACC and Big Ten teams who could create the most interesting storylines and matchups with the Bruins on the gridiron.
5. Clemson
All-Time Series: 0-0
Notable Games: None
Inviting one of the modern powerhouses in their front door is not going to do the Bruins' win-loss record any favors, but they did it with Oklahoma a few years back and a series with Clemson couldn't be any more one-sided than that one was. UCLA and Clemson have never played, and going toe-to-toe with a recent two-time national champion would be a power move that deserves respect regardless of what goes down on the field. And should the Bruins ever return to national prominence, who better to bolster your strength of schedule in pursuit of a College Football Playoff appearance than the Tigers?
4. Wisconsin
All-Time Series: 7-4 UCLA
Notable Games: 1994 Rose Bowl (L, 21-16), 1999 Rose Bowl (L, 38-31)
The Badgers were a thorn in the Bruins' side throughout the 1990s, despite the Bruins getting the better of them in seven of their first first eight meetings. Wisconsin flipped the script in the 1994 Rose Bowl, and it finished off a gut-punch of a UCLA season by beating them in the 1999 Rose Bowl as well. Reviving that history would be good for both programs, and getting some Midwest action in there would spice up the Bruins' schedule. UCLA and Wisconsin are already set to meet in 2029 and 2030, so maybe those can mark the start of a long and interesting series between the Pac-12 and Big Ten powers.
3. Boston College
All-Time Series: 0-0
Notable Games: None
Much like our sister site over at BC Bulletin, we too think a UCLA-Boston College home-and-home would be a grand slam. Aside from being a chance for athletic director Martin Jarmond to schedule a game with his former employer, it would be another matchup against a team the Bruins have never played before. Starting a new rivalry and series from scratch, much like with a potential Clemson game, would be a fun way to mark the start of 'The Alliance' era. Going to Chestnut Hill would also give UCLA a chance to really tap into its Northeast alumni and fan base, considering the Bruins haven't played in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York or Rhode Island since they took on Syracuse in 1968.
2. Michigan
All-Time Series: 8-3, Michigan
Notable Games: 1981 Bluebonnet Bowl (L, 33-14), 1983 Rose Bowl (W, 24-14)
The beef between UCLA and Cal over which one is the No. 1 public university in the country is already entertaining, but adding Michigan to the fray would spark that debate even further. Michigan has the largest alumni base in the world, so their fans can be expected to travel well, and a head-to-head matchup with another academic-athletic public school titan with rich history is a great storyline to capitalize on. Michigan and UCLA were scheduled to play a home-and-home in 2022 and 2023, until the Wolverines bought themselves out of the deal by paying the Bruins $1.5 million to find someone else to take on. UCLA fans are still ticked off by that move on Michigan's part, and Michigan fans likely haven't forgotten the 1983 Rose Bowl. There's a sleeping giant rivalry there, and this alliance could awaken it.
1. Miami (FL)
All-Time Series: 2-1, UCLA
Notable Games: 1985 Fiesta Bowl (W, 39-37), 1998 Regular Season Finale (L, 49-45)
Getting to play Miami is either a dream come true or absolute nightmare for UCLA fans. On one hand, the Bruins will have a chance to avenge their regular season-ending loss to the Hurricanes in 1998 that cost them a chance at playing in the national championship game for the first time in program history. On the other hand, losing to Miami again could spark flashbacks to that moment, a moment that arguably sent UCLA spiraling for the next 20 years. The drama of the matchup would be worth the price of admission alone though, so it stands above the rest as the most intriguing potential series to come out of this scheduling and voting alliance.
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