The polls are all starting to come out with the season slated to begin in a couple of weeks. It is time to start making predictions about the upcoming season. USC has just been awarded the #1 ranking preseason by the AP. This is always a huge sting to UCLA nation, but may be even worse this season given how UCLA had a chance to climb back to even with its rival during the NCAA sanctioned years the Trojan have experienced the past couple years. Unfortunately, it does not seem as if they have made much improvement over that time.
UCLA is in a strange position this season. They very well could finish second in the Pac-12 south division, but still 6th overall. The south division is far and away the weaker of the two, giving UCLA the advantage over stronger teams from the North. I think that if UCLA is to consider this season a successful one they must finish with at least 8 wins. That may be a lot to ask for a team with a new coach, quarterback and countless underachieving players.
It must be time that UCLA starts gaining momentum as a team and tries to build on success. Easier said than done though. Assuming that USC plays through the season undefeated and Oregon follows with just the one loss to SC, it wouldn't be that farfetched to say that UCLA could be in that group just after those two teams.
I think that it is about time for UCLA to have one of those mysterious magical seasons that they have been desperate for since '98. I am gonna go out on a limb and say that UCLA will finish 8-4 this season and 6-3 in the Pac-12. I know that sounds absurd, but you have to have faith in your favorite teams. I know that the Jim Mora hiring is going to help develop some of that talent UCLA has been able to recruit.
Impossible is nothing, right? A miracle may be less likely, but UCLA should be improving from this season into the future. No more will fans be okay with mediocrity. We have seen what a team with talent can do. It is time to make the talent that UCLA possesses turn into winning seasons. It is going to start with a big win at Rice and an upset of Nebraska. Well heres hoping at least.
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