Week 1 · College Football

UCLA vs California prediction

The TailgateNinjas model gives UCLA a 56% chance to beat California in this College Football matchup. Updated August 29, 2026.

#34 Big Ten Conference

UCLA

8% to make the 12

@

#64 Atlantic Coast Conference

California

7% to make the 12

The model's read

SpreadUCLA −2.5Vegas
Projected scoreUCLA 27 — California 25

A coin flip. The model nudges UCLA by a field goal — 56% to win.

Chaos meter87 · TOSS-UP
87/ 100
CalmMayhem

UCLA

56%

to win

California

44%

to win

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Tale of the tape

2025 efficiency · ranks
UCLA
vs
California
#96Offense · EPA/play#93
#126Defense · EPA/play#75
#113Explosiveness#64
#81Success rate#89
22%Returning production23%

National ranks from last season (1 = best). The 2026 outlook builds on this.

Series history

94 meetings all-time

UCLA leads 58–35–1

Last met 2023 · UCLA 7–33 California— California won

Both sidelines

via Google News

What UCLA is hearing

What California is hearing

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