Lincoln—The Nebraska football program has agreed to a home-and-home series with UCLA for the 2012 and 2013 seasons, University of Nebraska Athletic Director Steve Pederson announced on Monday.
The series will begin with Nebraska traveling to the historic Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., to take on the Bruins on Sept. 8, 2012. The two teams will face each other in a rematch the following season, with UCLA visiting Lincoln and Memorial Stadium on Sept. 14, 2013.
The announcement is the second high-profile opponent the Huskers have signed a contract with in the past six weeks. Earlier this spring, Nebraska announced a home-and-home series with Virginia Tech for the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
"We are very excited to announce this series with UCLA,” Pederson said. “This is in keeping with our goal of playing high-profile opponents in the non-conference every season in different parts of the country. These two schools have a history of great games, and I’m sure these upcoming matchups will only enhance that.”
Nebraska has faced the Bruins on 10 previous occasions, with the Huskers owning a 6-4 edge in the series between the two schools. UCLA captured the first three meetings, picking up victories in 1946, 1948 and 1972. The UCLA win in 1972 ended Nebraska’s 32-game unbeaten streak.
Since opening the series with three losses, Nebraska has won six of the past seven meetings between the two schools. Coach Tom Osborne picked up his first career victory against UCLA in 1973 in Lincoln, then added his 100th win against the Bruins in the next meeting in 1983.
Nebraska also won at UCLA in 1984, and in Lincoln in 1987, before the Bruins won at the Rose Bowl in 1988. The Huskers won the two most recent games in the series, a 14-13 road win in 1993 and a 49-21 win at Memorial Stadium in 1994.
"This is another great opponent for our football program, and an exciting home-and-home series for fans of both schools,” Nebraska Head Coach Bill Callahan said. “It can only benefit our program to play non-conference games in all parts of the country, and we are pleased to have upcoming games with UCLA on the West Coast and Virginia Tech in the East.”
Callahan has ties to the UCLA program. His oldest son, Brian, recently completed his playing career with the Bruins and is serving as a graduate assistant under Head Coach Karl Dorrell this fall.
The two games with UCLA are the first announced contests for Nebraska in the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
Nebraska kicks off its 2006 season on Sept. 2 against Louisiana Tech at Memorial Stadium. The Huskers’ 2006 schedule also includes games against both of last year’s participants in the national title game with a Sept. 16 date at USC and an Oct. 21 game against Texas in Lincoln.
