It’s been a hot minute since UCLA has won the Pac-12. It last happened in 2012, the first year of Jim Mora’s tenure. Under Chip Kelly, UCLA has finished 5th, T-3rd, 5th, and T-2nd in the Pac-12 South. Last year, after divisions were abolished, they finished 5th in the conference.
UCLA has been in the hunt at times, but they haven’t been able to finish. UCLA hasn’t had fewer than three conference losses under Chip Kelly. In fact, UCLA hasn’t had fewer than three conference losses since 2005 under Karl Dorrell. And although UCLA has been on an upward trajectory the past few years, 2023 won’t be any easier, as Cameron Rising, Bo Nix, and Caleb Williams are all returning for Utah, Oregon, and USC. And of course, those teams are all on the UCLA Football schedule.