The 2020 UCLA Bruins football team represented the University of California, Los Angeles during the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by third-year head coach Chip Kelly and competed as members of the Pac-12 Conference in the South Division.
| 2020 UCLA Bruins football | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conference | Pac-12 Conference |
| South Division | |
| Record | 3–4 (3–4 Pac-12) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Justin Frye (2nd season) |
| Offensive scheme | Spread option |
| Defensive coordinator | Jerry Azzinaro (3rd season) |
| Base defense | 4–2–5 |
| Home stadium | Rose Bowl |
Uniform | |
 | |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Washington x | 3 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oregon y$ | 4 | – | 2 | 4 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stanford | 4 | – | 2 | 4 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| California | 1 | – | 3 | 1 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Washington State | 1 | – | 3 | 1 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oregon State | 2 | – | 5 | 2 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 21 USC xy | 5 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado | 3 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah | 3 | – | 2 | 3 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona State | 2 | – | 2 | 2 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UCLA | 3 | – | 4 | 3 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona | 0 | – | 5 | 0 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship: Oregon 31, USC 24 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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On August 11, the Pac-12 Conference initially canceled all fall sports competitions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] On September 24, the conference announced that a six-game conference-only season would begin on November 6, with the Pac-12 Championship Game to be played December 18. Teams not selected for the championship game would be seeded to play a seventh game.[3]
On December 17, with a 3–3 record and one game left to play, the program announced that they would decline any invitation to a bowl game.[4] The Bruins lost their final game, finishing their season with a 3–4 record. The combined deficit in their four defeats was only 15 points, including a one-point loss to Stanford in double overtime, 48–47, in the season finale.
Overall on the season, the Bruins outscored their opponents by a total of 248 to 215.
Offseason
Position key
Offseason departures
Recruiting
Transfers
Returning starters
Impact of coronavirus pandemic
On August 5, 2020, the Los Angeles County Health Director announced that eight UCLA football players tested positive for COVID-19.[5]
Preseason
Award watch lists
Pac-12 media days
The Preseason Media poll shows the Bruins at 4th place in the South Division.
Preseason All-Pac-12 teams
Personnel
Coaching staff
- Head coach: Chip Kelly (New Hampshire '90) 3rd year
- Defensive coordinator: Jerry Azzinaro 3rd year
- Quarterbacks: Dana Bible 3rd year
- Receivers: Jimmie Dougherty 4th year
- Running backs: DeShaun Foster 4th year
- Offensive coordinator / Off. Line: Justin Frye 3rd year
- Outside linebackers: Jason Kaufusi 2nd year
- Defensive line: Johnny Nansen 1st Year
- Asst. head coach/passing game coord./ defensive backs: Brian Norwood 1st year
- Inside linebackers: Don Pellum 3rd year
- Tight ends / special teams: Derek Sage 3rd year
- Director of football performance: Frank Wintrich 3rd year
Roster
| 2020 UCLA Bruins Roster | ||||||||||
Quarterback
Running back
Receiver
Tight end
| Offensive lineman
Defensive lineman
| Linebacker
Defensive back
Punter
Kicker
Long snapper
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Sources: [1] | ||||||||||
Depth chart
Schedule
UCLA's 2020 regular season was announced on January 16.[6] The Bruins had games scheduled against New Mexico State, Hawaii, and San Diego State, but canceled these games on July 10 due to the Pac-12 Conference's decision to play a conference-only schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]
On November 13, UCLA's scheduled home game against Utah was canceled after a COVID-19 outbreak within the Utah program.[8] The same day, the Pac-12 announced UCLA would instead host California the morning of November 15;[9] the Golden Bears' scheduled game at Arizona State had also been canceled after Arizona State had a COVID-19 outbreak. UCLA's game at Oregon was moved by a day to Saturday, November 21, to accommodate the other changes.[10]
| Original 2020 UCLA Bruins schedule | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Site | |
| August 29 | New Mexico State* | Rose Bowl • Pasadena, CA | |
| September 5 | at Hawaii* | Aloha Stadium • Honolulu, HI | |
| September 19 | at San Diego State* | SDCCU Stadium • San Diego, CA | |
| September 26 | Stanford | Rose Bowl • Pasadena, CA | |
| October 3 | Arizona | Rose Bowl • Pasadena, CA | |
| October 10 | at Arizona State | Sun Devil Stadium • Tempe, AZ | |
| October 17 | at Colorado | Folsom Field • Boulder, CO | |
| October 29 | Utah | Rose Bowl • Pasadena, CA | |
| November 7 | at Oregon State | Reser Stadium • Corvallis, OR | |
| November 14 | Washington State | Rose Bowl • Pasadena, CA | |
| November 21 | USC | Rose Bowl • Pasadena, CA (Victory Bell) | |
| November 27 | at California | California Memorial Stadium • Berkeley, CA (rivalry) | |
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 7 | 4:00 p.m. | at Colorado | ESPN2 | L 42–48 | 554 | |
| November 15 | 9:00 a.m. | California | FS1 | W 34–10 | — | |
| November 21 | 12:30 p.m. | at No. 11 Oregon | ESPN2 | L 35–38 | — | |
| November 28 | 5:00 p.m. | Arizona |
| FOX | W 27–10 | — |
| December 5 | 7:30 p.m. | at Arizona State | FS1 | W 25–18 | — | |
| December 12 | 4:30 p.m. | No. 15 USC |
| ABC | L 38–43 | — |
| December 19 | 4:00 p.m. | Stanford |
| ESPN | L 47–48 2OT | — |
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Game summaries
At Colorado
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruins | 7 | 7 | 21 | 7 | 42 |
| Buffaloes | 14 | 21 | 10 | 3 | 48 |
at Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado
- Date: November 7, 2020
- Game time: 5:00 p.m PT
- Game weather: 59 °F (15 °C) Partly Cloudy, 36% precipitation
- Game attendance: 554
- Referee: Mike McMabe
- TV announcers (ESPN2): Beth Mowins, Kirk Morrison, John Schiffren
| Game information |
|---|
While UCLA attempted a valiant second-half comeback, their four turnovers in the first half proved too much to overcome and the Bruins were defeated, 48–42.
California
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Bears | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Bruins | 7 | 20 | 0 | 7 | 34 |
| Game information |
|---|
At Oregon
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruins | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
| No. 11 Ducks | 14 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 38 |
at Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Oregon
- Date: November 21, 2020
- Game time: 12:30 p.m., PT
- Game weather: 37 °F (3 °C), Overcast, Wind NW 2 MPH,
- Referee: Mark Duddy
- TV announcers (ESPN2): Jason Benetti, Andre Ware, Taylor McGregor
| Game information |
|---|
Arizona
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcats | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| Bruins | 3 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 27 |
at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
- Date: November 28, 2020
- Game time: 5:05 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C), Clear, Wind 4 MPH
- Game attendance: 0
- Referee: Mike McCabe
- TV announcers (FOX): Aaron Goldsmith, Brady Quinn
| Game information |
|---|
Arizona State
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruins | 0 | 17 | 0 | 8 | 25 |
| Sun Devils | 0 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 18 |
at Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona
- Date: December 5, 2020
- Game time: 7:35 p.m. PST
- Referee: Chris Coyte
- TV announcers (FS1): Aaron Goldsmith, Brady Quinn
| Game information |
|---|
USC
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 15 Trojans | 0 | 10 | 13 | 20 | 43 |
| Bruins | 7 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 38 |
at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
- Date: December 12, 2020
- Game time: 4:44 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 62 °F (17 °C), Clear, Wind 13 MPH
- Game attendance: 0
- Referee: Mark Duddy
- TV announcers (ABC): Dave Pasch, Greg McElroy, Holly Rowe
| Game information |
|---|
Stanford
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | 2OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinal | 7 | 13 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 48 |
| Bruins | 3 | 0 | 14 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 47 |
at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
- Date: December 19, 2020
- Game time: 4:05 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C), Clear, Wind 5 MPH
- Game attendance: 0
- Referee: Michael Mothershed
- TV announcers (ESPN): Beth Mowins, Kirk Morrison, Taylor McGregor
| Game information |
|---|
Rankings
On December 6, UCLA received a vote in the AP Poll for the first time since 2017.
| Week | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Final |
| AP | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | RV | |||
| Coaches | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| CFP | Not released | — | — | Not released | ||||||||||||||
Players drafted into the NFL
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 75 | Osa Odighizuwa | DT | Dallas Cowboys |
| 6 | 211 | Demetric Felton | RB | Cleveland Browns |
Statistics
| Statistics | UCLA | OPP |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 172 | 154 |
| Plays–yards | 519–3185 | 527–2869 |
| Rushes–yards | 319–1614 | 264–950 |
| Passing yards | 1571 | 1919 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 130–200–6 | 161–263–9 |
| Time of possession | 28:52 | 31:08 |
Awards and honors
- Associated Press 2020 All-Conference Team – Osa Odighizuwa (defensive tackle) and Demetric Felton (all-purpose), first team; Greg Dulcich (tight end), Caleb Johnson (linebacker), Felton (running back) second team
- Pac–12 2020 All-Conference Team – Osa Odighizuwa (first team); Greg Dulcich, Demetric Felton and Dorian Thompson-Robinson (second-team); Stephan Blaylock, Caleb Johnson, Qwuantrezz Knight, Sam Marrazzo and Kyle Philips (honorable mention)