UCLA football opens season Sept. 3 at Texas A&M

Coach Jim Mora and the Bruins open the season Sept. 3 on the road against Texas A&M.

By Ben Bolch

Aug. 7, 2016 4:05 PM PT

A game-by-game look at UCLA’s football schedule this season:

All times Pacific

Sept. 3 vs. Texas A&M

at College Station, Texas, 12:30 p.m.

Everything is bigger in Texas, including the significance of this season opener. UCLA will face its former offensive coordinator in Noel Mazzone and the possible No. 1 pick in the NFL draft in Aggies defensive end Myles Garrett.

Sept. 10 vs. Nevada Las Vegas

at the Rose Bowl, 5 p.m.

Intrigue could be hard to generate in the Bruins’ home opener. Groupon may offer entire sections of seats for $15. If the Rebels score a touchdown it would be progress after the 37-3 whipping they absorbed from UCLA last season.

Sept. 17 vs. Brigham Young

at Provo, Utah, 7:15 p.m.

The memory that matters heading into this game may not be UCLA’s 24-23 victory last season but BYU’s 59-0 thrashing of the Bruins in 2008, the last time these teams met at LaVell Edwards Stadium. That was UCLA’s worst defeat since 1929.

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Sept. 24 vs. Stanford

at the Rose Bowl, TBA

The Cardinal had a Heisman Trophy-worthy running back the last time they lost to UCLA, in 2008, with Toby Gerhart tearing up chunks of Rose Bowl turf. The Bruins wouldn’t mind if Christian McCaffrey had his own field day in another Stanford defeat.

Oct. 1 vs. Arizona

at the Rose Bowl, TBA

UCLA has had the Wildcats’ number in the Jim Mora era, going 4-0. The disappointments have added up recently for Arizona, which has a losing record since beating Arizona State late in the 2014 season to clinch the Pac-12’s South Division title.

Oct. 8 vs. Arizona State

at Tempe, Ariz., TBA

These teams have alternated victories in each of their last four meetings, with the Sun Devils prevailing, 38-23, last season. The Bruins would be pleased if the series trend continued for at least one more year.

Oct. 15 vs. Washington State

at Pullman, Wash., TBA

A trip to the Palouse can feel like a journey to the end of the earth. It also could necessitate oxygen masks for UCLA’s secondary as it tries to slow Cougars quarterback Luke Falk and receiver Gabe Marks, who connected on the game-winning touchdown with three seconds left last season at the Rose Bowl.

Oct. 22 vs. Utah

at the Rose Bowl, TBA

This game could determine the leader of the Pac-12 South just as it did last season, when UCLA linebacker Jayon Brown recovered a fumble with a minute remaining to protect a 17-9 victory.

Nov. 3 vs. Colorado

at Boulder, Colo., 6 p.m.

The Buffaloes have to ramble into relevance in the Pac-12 at some point, right? Right? They are 5-40 in conference games, including 0-5 against UCLA, though the last two meetings were decided by a combined seven points.

Nov. 12 vs. Oregon State

at the Rose Bowl, TBA

The Beavers went winless in the Pac-12 last season and brought punter Nick Porebski to the conference’s media days last month. If he’s one of the team’s top two players, the dark days figure to continue in Corvallis.

Nov. 19 vs. USC

at the Rose Bowl, TBA

The Bruins have won three of the last four meetings with the Trojans, but last season’s 40-21 drubbing won’t be forgotten by Josh Rosen anytime soon. The quarterback had two passes intercepted and lost a fumble that provided USC with the go-ahead score.

Nov. 26 vs. California

at Berkeley, TBA

The dropoff from Jared Goff, the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, to graduate transfer Davis Webb may not be all that jarring. Webb passed for 5,557 yards and 46 touchdowns in three seasons at Texas Tech.

Practice schedule

The first two weeks of UCLA’s football training camp is open to the public. The first week of workouts, beginning Monday, will be held on the UCLA Intramural fields. The following week, practices move to Cal State San Bernardino. Times are subject to change.

At UCLA:

Monday, 9:30 a.m.; Tuesday, 9:30 a.m.; Wednesday, 3:30 p.m.; Thursday, 9:30 a.m.; Friday, 9:30 a.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m./3:30 p.m.

At Cal State San Bernardino:

Aug. 15, 8:30 a.m./5:45 p.m.; Aug. 16, 3 p.m.; Aug. 17. 8:30 a.m./5:45 p.m.; Aug. 18, 3 p.m.; Aug. 19, 8:30 a.m./5:45 p.m.; Aug. 20, 12:30 p.m.