The Virginia football team starts one of the nation’s most challenging schedules of the 2015 season more than 2,500 miles from home in a rematch of last year’s opener. UVa lost that game 28-20 in a closer-than-anticipated matchup. The Bruins came into Charlottesville with a highly regarded dual-threat attack on offense as well as a top 10 preseason ranking. UCLA’s defense, however, scored three touchdowns and won them the game. The Bruins are bringing back the bulk of their team from 2014, but will rely on new leaders to emerge on both sides of the ball.

UCLA went on to win 10 games last year, including a victory against Kansas State in the Alamo Bowl. The most reliable aspect of the team has been the leadership of head coach Jim Mora Jr. In his first three seasons, Mora compiled 29 wins, the highest consecutive three-year win total in the history of the UCLA football program.

UCLA Peek

• Head Coach (record at school): Jim Mora Jr. (29-11)
• 2014 Record: 10-3
• Offense: Pro-style
• Offense Returning Starters: 10
• Offense 2014 Total Yards/Game: 468 (23rd nationally)
• Offense 2014 Points/Game: 33.5 (36th)
• Defense: 3-4 (2014 but a new coordinator is in place)
• Defense Returning Starters: 8
• Defense 2014 Total Yards/Game: 401 (70th)
• Defense 2014 Points/Game: 27.5 (74th)

What To Expect on Game Day

Offense: UCLA will have a new leader at quarterback this time around, but every other starter on offense will be back. Starting under center will likely be either Josh Rosen, the incoming freshman who was the nation’s top-ranked pro-style passer as a recruit, or Jerry Neuheisel, the backup to Brett Hundley last year who beat Texas at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. It will be a tall order to fill the shoes of Brett Hundley, a man who accounted for 32 of UCLA’s 50 offensive touchdowns a year ago.

The running game returns Paul Perkins, the Pac-12’s leading rusher in 2014. He looks to improve upon an extremely promising second year where he knifed through defenses to the tune of 1,575 yards, the 15th best rushing effort in the nation at 6.3 yards per carry. The receiving corps, led by Jordan Payton, returns intact, and seems to be in store for more down-the-field looks than last year. However, in week one, fans likely can expect last year’s bubble screen offense with a heavy dose of Perkins to be prevalent due to inexperience at the quarterback position. Much of the offense’s success could be contingent on whether the offensive line, now with experience, can improve on last year’s performance, a year in which UCLA was in the bottom 10 in the FBS in both sacks and tackles for loss allowed. Remember, UVa racked up 10 tackles for loss with five sacks in last season’s meeting, though the absence of Eli Harold and Max Valles is notable.

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