BYB Top 25 Countdown - #21 UCLA Bruins

The following post is part of the BYB 2013 Preseason Top 25 Countdown. Continue to check in Monday-Friday each week as I count down the Top 25 teams in college football. I swear, even if I flake out and don’t do any other posts, I will continue the countdown. 

These picks are a reflection of how I predict the college football season will shake out. I performed a complex formula and broke down each team’s schedule, predicting wins, losses and push games, you know, games that I’m to chicken shit to actually pick a winner. I then ranked the teams with the most predicted wins highest and the teams with the least predicted wins lowest. 

This isn’t precise. For example, I have Texas at #23 with six wins, zero losses and six pushes. This means UT could finish 12-0, 6-6 or anything in between. While Texas is ranked low I think the Horns have a great chance at finishing the season ranked high.

The Top 25 is also influenced by other factors like strength of schedule and conference affiliation. 

Quarterback Brett Hundley

In 2012 Jim Mora was able to dust off the cobwebs covering the UCLA program and catapulted the team to a 9-3 regular season and impressive 27-24 loss to Stanford in the Pac 12 Championship Game.

The offense hummed with Brett Hundley at quarterback, as he set records for passing yards, total offense and completions. UCLA will have to replace talented running back Johnathan Franklin but word is junior Jordan James looks capable.

Shaq Evans will be Hundley’s top target in the passing game and the offensive line returns four starters.

The defense only returns five starters but the defensive line is one of the best in the Pac 12 with Cassius Marsh a contender for all-conference honors and DT Seali’l Epenesa has starting experience. Linebacker Anthony Barr, who was at the top of the Pac 12 in sacks and TFL returns as well.

I have the Bruins at 7-2-3. They start with a predicted win against Nevada before traveling to Lincoln for a push game battle with Nebraska. They should tally three wins after Nebraska with winnable games against New Mexico State, at Utah and home against Cal.

Then comes the bad news. The Bruins face back-to-back road games against Stanford and Oregon, which bring two predicted losses, They finish the season with predicted wins against Colorado, Arizona State and at USC and push games at Arizona and against Washington in Pasadena.