A late-night road trip to Cal that opens the season at 10:30 p.m. ET. A home game against Purdue that doesn’t kick off until 11:00 p.m. ET the following week. And the crosstown rivalry against USC closing out the year at the Rose Bowl. The UCLA Football Schedule 2026 leans on late kickoffs early before settling into a demanding Big Ten slate.
UCLA Football Schedule 2026
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Sep 5 | at California Golden Bears | Cal Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, CA | 10:30 PM | ESPN |
| Sat, Sep 12 | San Diego State Aztecs | Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA | 7:15 PM | BTN |
| Sat, Sep 19 | Purdue Boilermakers | Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA | 11:00 PM | BTN |
| Sat, Sep 26 | at Maryland Terrapins | SECU Stadium, College Park, MD | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 3 | — | OFF | — | — |
| Sat, Oct 10 | at Oregon Ducks | Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 17 | Wisconsin Badgers | Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 24 | Michigan State Spartans (Homecoming) | Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 31 | Nevada Wolf Pack | Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 7 | at Minnesota Golden Gophers | Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Fri, Nov 13 | Illinois Fighting Illini | Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA | 9:00 PM | FOX |
| Sat, Nov 21 | at Michigan Wolverines | Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 28 | USC Trojans | Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Dec 5 | Big Ten Championship | Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN | 8:00 PM | FOX |
Two Late-Night Kickoffs to Open the Year
UCLA Football Schedule 2026 opens with a road trip to Cal that doesn’t kick off until 10:30 p.m. ET, one of the latest starts anywhere in the country. San Diego State visits the Rose Bowl the following week before Purdue arrives for an even later 11:00 p.m. ET kickoff on September 19 — back-to-back home games that push well past midnight local time.
Maryland on the Road, Then a Trip to Oregon
A road trip to Maryland closes out September before a bye week on October 3 sets up the toughest true road test of the season. The UCLA Big Ten schedule 2026 sends the Bruins to Oregon on October 10, a genuine measuring-stick game against one of the sport’s top-ranked programs.
Wisconsin and Michigan State at Home, Then Nevada
Wisconsin visits the Rose Bowl before Michigan State comes to Pasadena for Homecoming on October 24. Nevada closes out a manageable four-game home stretch before the schedule turns back toward the road.
Minnesota, Illinois, and a Trip to Michigan
A road trip to Minnesota opens November before Illinois visits the Rose Bowl for a Friday night game on November 13. UCLA vs USC 2026’s earlier road test at Oregon is echoed by a trip to Michigan on November 21, the toughest closing road test remaining on the schedule.
The Crosstown Rivalry Closes It Out
The regular season wraps at home against USC on November 28, the crosstown rivalry that always carries weight in Los Angeles regardless of either team’s record. If UCLA is still playing December 5, it’s in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship.
The Bottom Line
Between Oregon, Michigan, and USC, UCLA faces three ranked opponents scattered across the back half of the season. The UCLA football home games in 2026 include a favorable four-game stretch in mid-October, but how the Bruins handle the closing road trip to Michigan before the USC rivalry will decide how the season ends.
FAQ
Q: When does UCLA play its first game on the 2026 schedule?
A: UCLA Football Schedule 2026 opens on the road against California on Saturday, September 5, at Cal Memorial Stadium, kickoff at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Q: When is UCLA vs USC 2026?
A: UCLA vs USC 2026 closes the regular season on Saturday, November 28, at home at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, with USC visiting.
Q: How many home games does UCLA play in 2026?
A: UCLA has seven UCLA football home games in 2026 at the Rose Bowl Stadium: San Diego State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Nevada, Illinois, and USC.
Q: What is UCLA’s toughest stretch on the 2026 schedule?
A: The run from Oregon (road) through Michigan (road) — October 10 and November 21 — is the toughest stretch on the UCLA Big Ten schedule 2026, ahead of the closing USC rivalry game.
