Fox sports could not make it any more clearer. Their preview is up and they expect 8 (regular season) wins calling our road schedule a "joke." This of course falls right in line with our expectations of 9 total wins:
This now becomes a key season in the Dorrell era. Bruin fans don't like playing second fiddle to USC in anything and need to see signs that the gap between the two schools is closing just a bit. No, UCLA isn't going to be better than USC, but the offense should be among the league's best and the defense can't be much worse than it was in 2004. The program has to start looking like a potential Pac 10 champion and there has to be a good, consistent season from start to finish. A splashy win or three would really, really, help Dorrell, but a good year from the defensive line would be even more important. Bruin fans can live with finishing second in the Pac 10 ... this year.
The Schedule: There can't be any complaints with the toughest games (Oklahoma, California and Arizona State) in the Rose Bowl before the USC showdown. Outside of the trip down the freeway, the road schedule is a joke with no excuse for doing worse than 3-2. Oklahoma doesn't appear to be the Oklahoma of the last two seasons, but that doesn't mean a win wouldn't be sweet. Anything less than 8-3 with this slate would be a disappointment.
All the tough games are at home, our road schedule is a joke, and we have all those returing senior talents at key positions. Absolutely no excuses from Dorrell and his legion of blindos. If he cannot meet these reasonable expectations this season, DG should either fire him or have him resign at the end of regular season. In fact if it becomes clean during the midpoint of the season, KD will not win 8 regular season game, UCLA should go the Florida route, and Zook him in the middle of the season, and either let him stay as an interim coach, or get an interim coach, so that we can have time to look for the Ben Howland of our football program. No excuses. Go Bruins.
The Schedule: There can't be any complaints with the toughest games (Oklahoma, California and Arizona State) in the Rose Bowl before the USC showdown. Outside of the trip down the freeway, the road schedule is a joke with no excuse for doing worse than 3-2. Oklahoma doesn't appear to be the Oklahoma of the last two seasons, but that doesn't mean a win wouldn't be sweet. Anything less than 8-3 with this slate would be a disappointment.