UCLA Football Set to Face off Against Two Top 10 Teams in Back-to-Back Weeks

John Robinson | 3 Hours Ago

Bruins runningback TJ Harden 25 leaps over Tiger Javien Toviano 25 as the LSU Tigers take on UCLA at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, LA. Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. / SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Over the last two years, there has been a massive amount of movement amongst college programs as conference realignment has happened all over the country. The University of California Los Angeles is one of those programs that decided to venture into a new home as they left the Pac-12 in favor of the Big Ten. UCLA, USC, Oregon, and Washington all migrated to the historic conference this year.

For UCLA, their inaugural season in the Big Ten will be a tumultuous journey as they were given the number one ranked strength of schedule in the conference this season according to CBS. To add insult to injury, the Bruins will travel more than any college football team in the country

In week one the Bruins travelled all the way to Hawaii, while following that up with cross-country road trips to Indiana and LSU. It does seem like the Big Ten schedule makers decided that UCLA would be the program to draw the short end of the stick this season.

After a loss against LSU on Saturday, the Bruins play back-to-back games against ranked opponents. This upcoming Saturday UCLA will play their home opener against the eighth-ranked Oregon Ducks who are considered a contender for the college football playoffs. The following week UCLA has another country-length trip as they take on the ninth-ranked Nittany Lion of Penn State.

New @AP_Top25 poll

1-Texas (44 1st place votes)
2-Georgia (11)
3-Ohio St (5)
4-Alabama
5-Tennessee
6-Ole Miss
7-Miami
8-Oregon
9-Penn St
10-Utah
11-Missouri
12-Michigan
13-USC
14-LSU
15-Louisville
16-Notre Dame
17-Clemson
18-Iowa St
19-Illinois
20-Okla State
21-OU
22-BYU…

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 22, 2024

Despite the odds being stacked against first-yead head coach DeShaun Foster and his squad, the former Bruins' standout running back is not backing down from the challenge. Foster has carved out an early reputation in Los Angeles as being a hard-nosed coach who truly is about talking with pads instead of words.

The schedule that UCLA was given has been grueling to start the year so far, however, Foster has not shown any level of weakness despite the daunting road ahead.

“We’ve got to play ball,” Foster said. “That’s why talking isn’t really my forte because you can talk all you want and you get out here and lay an egg and now what? Or you can not be a good talker and get out here and get these boys to play some ball, and that’s what it’s about.”

Foster is going to continue to develop this program and despite a tough year one schedule, the future should be bright under UCLA's new leader.

More News: UCLA Football: DeShaun Foster Looking to Win Over City of Los Angeles