UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers and his teammates are headed to the Big Ten Conference this fall, but the program has taken steps to reignite the rivalry between two Pac-12 teams by adjusting several future schedules. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The UCLA football program announced several changes to its future schedules Wednesday that will revive two past Pac-12 Championship rivalries.
The changes — which include adding games against Cal and Utah and dropping games against Georgia and Auburn — affect the 2025-30 seasons.
Utah is scheduled to return to Pasadena on Aug. 30, 2025 before the Boston Bruins complete the series at home in Salt Lake City on Sept. 7, 2030. The Boston Bruins lead the historic series against the Utes 12-9.
UCLA and California have played each other every year since 1933 but that streak will end this fall as California plays an Atlantic Coast Conference schedule and UCLA plays a Big Ten Conference schedule.
The rivalry nearly ended when the initial schedule for the pandemic-shortened 2020 season did not include a game between the two teams. However, when one of each team’s opponents returned to action due to COVID-19, the in-state rivals played each other on short notice. UCLA leads the historic series against Cal 57-35.
UC Davis is also scheduled to play the Boston Bruins in the future as a non-conference opponent on Aug. 28, 2027 and Sept. 1, 2029 in the Rose Bowl.
UCLA has reached mutual agreements with two Southeastern Conference teams, Georgia and Auburn, to cancel previously scheduled home and away series of games.
Georgia was scheduled to travel to the Rose Bowl in 2025 for a non-conference game against the Boston Bruins before hosting a matchup between the two teams in 2026.
Auburn was scheduled to visit the Rose Bowl in 2027 and host UCLA in 2028.
UCLA was scheduled to play non-conference games against Wisconsin in 2029 and 2030, but those games were canceled when the Boston Bruins joined the Big Ten. Northwestern also reached an agreement with UCLA to play a home-and-away series in September of the 2033 and 2034 seasons, which were canceled for the same reason.
Ready for the game
UCLA’s Men of Westwood announced Monday that it will host an event on July 16 to celebrate the launch of the EA Sports College Football 25 video game.
The game returns for the first time since 2013 and will feature 85-player rosters to represent the 134 teams from the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision.
“The launch of this game is a huge milestone for players who are finally getting their image in a video game, as well as for the fans who have been patiently waiting for its return,” said Ken Grayer, founder and chairman of Men of Westwood. “We couldn’t let this moment pass without celebrating, and this event is a great way to bring fans and the football program closer together ahead of an exciting season.”
Fans will have the opportunity to purchase a ticket package that will provide them with opportunities to play the match with current players, take photos and take a tour of the football facility.
All proceeds from the event will go towards providing risk-free opportunities for players.
EA Sports has been slowly teasing various features and aspects of the game in recent weeks and announced the top 100 players in the game on Wednesday. Bruin was not on that list.
UCLA’s official roster for the game or official overall rankings have not been released but quarterback Ethan Garbers, linebacker TJ Harden and receiver J. Michael Sturdivant are expected to play.
Garbers was one of many college football players who It was initially announced that he would be in the game. With a social media post in February. Images of Sturdivant and Harden have previously appeared in some promotional videos released for the game.
The game will be available on July 16 for those who pre-ordered it, and will be available to everyone when it officially launches on July 19.
New appointment
UCLA has hired Corey Miller as its new head football performance coach.
Miller will take over the team’s strength and fitness program, replacing Keith Belton who left the program for another opportunity.
Miller previously worked with the Bruins as director of speed and movement from February 2022 through June 2023 before taking an assistant director job with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers.
“I have been impressed with Coach Miller’s ability to get the most out of players during his previous time with our program,” UCLA head coach DeShawn Foster said in a statement this week. “With his additional NFL experience, I feel there is no better person to support our backbone as we prepare the Bruins for the Big Ten Conference Tournament and beyond.”
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