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WarPlanner's avatar

Thanks for the heads up! I know aught of the Midwest/East Coast sub-mid-major-level schools but am learning thanks to the new AD's beating the bushes to find these nuggets. (Meant sincerely, not as a dig.)

Coastal Carolina could surprise (given The Chipster's soon-to-be bare cupboard) granted. Their wins were against teams whose records were, respectively: 4-6, 6-5, 5-5, 4-7, 3-8, 7-4 (Marshall, always a decent powerhouse), 6-5 (App state), and 5-6. Still in all, as you mention, I'd not look past these folks NOR Sandy Eggo State. I remember back in my misspent youth, SDSU was crying to get a game with the Bruins - and that's when they were mauling their opponents -- but JD Doo (the then AD Doo) would not grant them a game because he admitted that UCLA had nothing to win and everything to lose.

Chips-r-us is entering what I like to call the "Chicago Cubs Zone": a baseball team with a paucity of accomplishments for a veritable century; they had two World Serious* wins four years before WWI and then finally won in 2016. That's a century long drought, old son. They coulda, shoulda gone all in on building ONE TEAM per decade to get better results. At that rate, it might be what Kelly's gunning for.

Otherwise he's phoning it in on the University of California's dollar. ("Mr Chips, white courtesy telephone, please!") and will probably start invigorating his COVID catering biz next year. Meantime, the immense tarps continue to cover *whole sections* of the Rose Bowl.

How embarrassing is that?

*You know me, Al.

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Joe Piechowski's avatar

Actually, the new AD is only partly responsible for the current schedule.

Coastal Carolina was scheduled sometime in 2016 when Guerrero was still AD. At the time, UCLA was supposed to play Michigan on Sept. 2. When Michigan pulled out in 2019, the game date was actually modified to allow UCLA to play NC Central on Sept 16.

https://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla_bruin_football/2016/9/27/13084048/ucla-bruins-football-adds-home-date-with-fresno-state-in-2024

https://uclabruins.com/sports/2013/4/17/ucla-future-football-schedule.aspx

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WarPlanner's avatar

Thanks...and as Clio pointed out.

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E2148's avatar

Coastal has actually one of the most innovative offensive attacks in college football. It’s basically spread-to-run triple option, and we’ve borrowed their concepts in several games. This game scares the bejesus and I actually think we could lose it pretty bad with our roster turnover next year.

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BigB88's avatar

Coastal is a very good team, I watched one of their games recently. Good system, solid team all around. They would be a handful for anyone. It could be UCLA's Appalachian St. so I definitely wouldn't call them a "patsy".

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E2148's avatar

I don’t think UCLA has a high enough profile or would be favorited like A&M or Michigan were. But definitely dangerous

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