The new era in Westwood has already begun. Standing on the court in front of thousands of Bruins at Pauley Pavilion, the UCLA Bruins’ new head honcho, Bob Chesney, promised them what they haven’t achieved in nearly three decades.

On January 31, the former James Madison head coach fired up a crowd at a Bruins basketball game against Indiana by promising that a Big Ten championship is coming to Westwood sooner rather than later:

“Thank you all. It’s an honor to be here. I wanted to show you our staff, the best staff in the world,” the head coach said of his coaches. “I’ve been here for about a month now, and as I look around, there’s nothing average. And I did not come here to be average>… I want you to support this thing.

“Understand what we’re building and understand what we’re about to bring, a Big Ten championship. This is the team of the future.”

Now this earned him massive applause from the crowd present in the Pavilion, boasting a capacity of a little over 13,000, because it is exactly what UCLA fans needed to hear after a rough few years. The last time UCLA won anything relevant was the Pac-12, all the way back in 1998. Since then, it’s been a bit of a dry spell for the program in terms of major hardware.

To find their absolute peak, you have to look even further back to 1954, which is the only time UCLA has ever won a national championship. The ’80s were also a “golden era” for the team, as they won three Rose Bowls in just four years. In short, winning a conference isn’t an easy feat for the Bruins, especially in a heavy-hitter conference like the Big Ten, stacked with the likes of Indiana, Ohio State, and Oregon.

But luckily, Chesney seems to have unlocked Pandora’s box at Westwood. When you look at his resume, it justifies the talk. Chesney has a reputation for being a “winner” everywhere he goes, having just led James Madison to a historic 12–2 season and a spot in the College Football Playoff.

To back up his big talk, Chesney hasn’t wasted any time rebuilding the team. He’s already brought in over 40 new players through the transfer portal and recruiting, giving the roster a major facelift before his first season even starts.

But the real question is, is it enough to win the Big Ten?

The actual chances of UCLA winning the Big Ten

Winning the Big Ten next season is going to be an uphill battle for UCLA. According to the majority of folks, it’s easier to win the SEC title than it is to win the Big 10. Right now, oddsmakers aren’t giving them much of a chance, placing their odds at +50,000 to win the national title and around +27,000 at the Big Ten shot.

Most experts see them as a team that’s just starting to rebuild, with a projected win total of around 5.5 games. Fair number after their 2025 disastrous season. Analytical models like SP+ rank UCLA near the bottom of the conference (99th nationally) heading into the 2026 season.

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If you’re looking for the teams most likely to actually take the trophy, it’s a three-way race between Oregon, Ohio State, and the defending champs, Indiana. Oregon is the consensus favorite right now because of the talent on its roster.

The Bruins have a “brutal” schedule that includes tough road trips to places like Oregon, Ohio State, and Michigan, which makes a championship run in year one feel like a bit of a dream. But that doesn’t mean they’re going to be a bust or scrub under Chesney. They have every tool to put together a seven-, eight-, or even nine-win season. Maybe two or three years down the line, they can compete for the Big Ten.