Breaking Down UCLA's 24-Team CFP Chances

For a program like UCLA, which is in the middle of a significant rebuild under first- year head coach Bob Chesney, an expanded playoff field changes the hypothetical conversation considerably. With 24 teams in the bracket, the margin for error is wider, and the path for a program on the rise becomes more realistic. With that in mind, it is worth asking the question: could UCLA have made a 24-team College Football Playoff this season?

UCLA Season Outlook

Chesney has completely transformed the UCLA roster since arriving in Westwood. He brought in 42 players through the transfer portal while losing 26, for a net gain of 16 that ranked 11th in the country for 2026, according to Rivals. He also added contributors from the 2026 high school class, with several true freshmen positioned to make an immediate impact on both sides of the ball.

At quarterback, Chesney retained Nico Iamaleava, whose return to California was not without its complications but whose play on the field showed genuine progress. Iamaleava improved his completion percentage to 64% last season, though he was unable to surpass 2,000 passing yards. The tools are there for him to be a reliable starter in the Big Ten, and with better weapons around him this season, the expectation is that his production will reflect that.

Is It Realistic To Make the Playoff?

UCLA will enter next season with plenty of questions, and that is fair given the scale of the roster overhaul. How will Chesney adjust to the demands of the Big Ten in his first season? Can Iamaleava take the next step as a passer with more offensive support around him? Can the pass rush improve after finishing last in the Big Ten in sacks a season ago? Can the running game become a consistent weapon? These are all legitimate concerns that will take time to answer.

That said, dismissing UCLA's playoff chances entirely may be premature, particularly if the field expands to 24 teams. The blueprint for a first-year coach overachieving in the Big Ten is not hypothetical. Curt Cignetti took Indiana to the College Football Playoff in his first season and won the national championship in his second.

Chesney has a similarly proven track record of building programs quickly and competing with rosters that others underestimate. With the talent he assembled through the portal and a quarterback who has shown he can operate at a high level, the Bruins would have been a legitimate conversation piece as a potential 24th team in an expanded bracket.