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Nov 23, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster yells at referees during the second quarter against the USC Trojans at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Ranking UCLA's Most Important Games: No. 5

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI | By Connor Moreno | Last updated Aug 16, 2025 2:00 PM ET

We're officially two weeks away from UCLA's season opener, and the Bruins are one of the biggest stories in college football.

With a ton of expectations preceding them, let's rank the Bruins' most important games on the schedule, moving on to No. 5 -- Week 5 vs Northwestern.

It was hard for me to put this Northwestern matchup so high at No. 5, but with a couple more important conference games against slightly better opponents, this matchup slid back a few games.

This game is ultra-important for a couple of reasons: 1) This game opens up conference play, and 2) If UCLA is what we think it is, a win against the Wildcats could mean a 4-0 start going into Week 6 against Penn State.

If DeShaun Foster and the Bruins want to set the tone of the season, going undefeated against non-conference opponents and opening up conference play with a win is the perfect way.

Starting 4-0, then losing to Penn State (most likely), and then immediately turning around against Michigan State and Maryland means UCLA has a realistic chance of starting the season 6-1. It's far-fetched, I know, but if the Bruins end up being as serious as we all think they'll be, it's realistic.

Analyst Previews Northwestern

Want to know more about the Wildcats going into the season? Well, ESPN's Bill Connelly previewed them, here's what he had to say:

"Over the past 10 years, Northwestern ranked in the defensive SP+ top 25 seven times and went 54-33 in those seasons. In the other three, they went 8-28. They haven't had a truly poor defense in ages, but when you haven't even had a top-80 offense since 2018, success is all on the defense.

"Utilizing the portal at a tough-admissions school is always going to be tricky, but Braun landed upgrades for at least four offensive positions: quarterback (SMU's Preston Stone), receiver (South Dakota State's Griffin Wilde), tackle (Liberty's Xavior Gray) and guard (South Dakota State's Evan Beerntsen). Well, Stone will be an upgrade as long as he rediscovers his 2023 form. He threw for 3,197 yards with a 28-to-6 TD-to-INT ratio that year but struggled early in 2024 and was benched for Kevin Jennings. He's an interesting combination of aggressive (15.1 yards per completion for his career) and safe (eight career INTs), but he can be inefficient. If the line improves, returning backs Cam Porter and Joseph Himon II could at least keep Stone in favorable downs and distances. And hey, the bar couldn't be lower. Pilot a top-75 offense, and you'll look like a savior.

"The Wildcats slipped to 51st in defensive SP+ last season, though that includes some pretty demoralizing late-season results. They still started (31st in three-and-out rate) and ended drives well (31st in red zone TD rate allowed), and they'll have some proven entities in linebacker Mac Uihlein, end Aidan Hubbard and tackle Najee Story. The portal brought the likes of linebacker Jack Sadowsky V (Iowa State) and well-traveled corner Fred Davis (Clemson/UCF/Jacksonville State). If Northwestern's success is again dependent on having a top-20 defense, disappointment probably awaits. But if the O genuinely improves and the D has to be only top 40 or so, the Wildcats could surprise. Either way, facing Oregon, Penn State, Michigan and Illinois will make reaching six wins awfully difficult."

Make sure to bookmark UCLA Bruins On SI to get all your daily UCLA Bruins news, analysis and more!

Read more on UCLA football and their momentous second season in the Big Ten and under DeShaun Foster here. While you're here, check out all things UCLA basketball and Mick Cronin improving the Bruins through the transfer portal here.