UCLA Football: College Football Expert Predicts Bruins to Secure Top 10 Spot
With just about two weeks left until the kickoff of the 2023 season, the buzz around the UCLA Bruins is building. Anticipation is high among fans as they eagerly await the team's performance this year. However, beneath the excitement lies a layer of uncertainty. The question marks surrounding the team's important positions still linger.
While the Bruins managed an impressive 2022 season, the challenge now is to replicate that success or be even better with the new faces and leaders stepping in. It's a wait-and-see situation, and the burning question remains: Can these fresh elements and emerging leaders truly live up to the hype?
Senior editor at The Athletic, Matt Brown, is willing to make a bold prediction. He predicts that UCLA has what it takes to secure a coveted spot in the Top 10 rankings.
Prediction: UCLA and UTSA finish in the top 10. I have both the Bruins (No. 19) and Roadrunners (No. 22) on my ballot, but they’re just outside the actual poll. UCLA’s fate may be in the hands of freshman QB Dante Moore and Ball State transfer RB Carson Steele. Otherwise, the Bruins have the makings of a salty defense led by Laiatu Latu and should have a stellar O-line.
Such a claim raises eyebrows, especially when the starting quarterback and the team's new dynamics are still in flux.
I'll lean more on the side of caution on this one. While the potential is undoubtedly there, it's essential to acknowledge the variables that remain uncertain. Who will step into the role of starting quarterback? How will the revamped offense and defense come together under these new names and coaching staff?
Nonetheless, if the Bruins play to their potential, they could be contenders for a place in a New Year's Eve Bowl. As the season unfolds, we'll be watching closely to see if the Bruins can defy expectations and shock the college football world in their last season in the Pac-12.
