Adjusted UCLA football schedule sets up early matchups with USC, California

UCLA football will begin its season with matchups against California and USC in a new conference-only schedule, according to a report. (Tanmay Shankar/Daily Bruin senior staff)

By Jack Perez
July 29, 2020 2:10 p.m.
The Bruins’ schedule just received a major shake-up.
UCLA football will reportedly face two California rivals to open the 2020 season. Coach Chip Kelly’s squad will travel to Berkeley to face California on Sept. 19 and play at the Rose Bowl against archrival USC on Sept. 26.
The new schedule was first reported by Bruin Report Online and later the Los Angeles Times. UCLA Athletics said it has no comment until the official schedule is released, which could be as early as this week.
The Los Angeles Times also reported that a road game against Washington would be added to the schedule, although where it will fall is still unknown. Additionally, the rest of the dates for the remaining conference games are currently undecided.
The Pac-12 CEO Group said earlier this month that the Pac-12 was canceling nonconference games for fall sports, including football. With that announcement came the possibility of an updated schedule to allow teams to play more games within the conference than the previous nine-game conference seasons.
The move allows the Bruins to play two of its biggest games early in the year in case the season is later shut down. It also gives the conference flexibility later in the fall to postpone or cancel games that are less impactful to final records and Pac-12 championship game implications.