2023 UCLA Bruins football team

The 2023 UCLA Bruins football team represented the University of California, Los Angeles in the Pac-12 Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bruins were led by Chip Kelly in his sixth and final season at UCLA. They played their home games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The season was the team's last season as members of Pac-12 before joining the Big Ten Conference in 2024.

UCLA finished the regular season with a 7–5 record, losing three of their last four. They won the LA Bowl over Boise State for their first bowl win in Kelly's six-year tenure and the Bruins' first since 2015. UCLA finished 8–5 for their third consecutive eight-win season and the program's second such streak since 1988.

Following the season on February 9, 2024, Kelly resigned to take the offensive coordinator position with Ohio State.

Offseason
On January 24, 2023, UCLA announced that it was hiring Kodi Whitfield as its new cornerbacks coach. On February 27, the school announced that it was hiring D'Anton Lynn as its defensive coordinator. Bill McGovern, director of football administration and former defensive coordinator, died on May 30, 2023.

Incoming transfers

 * ATH Anthony Adkins – Army
 * S Jordan Anderson – Bowling Green
 * WR Kyle Ford – USC
 * K Blake Glessner – Montana State
 * LB Jake Heimlicher – Penn
 * IOL Spencer Holstege – Purdue
 * OT Khadere Kounta – Old Dominion
 * TE Moliki Matavao – Oregon
 * LB Femi M. Oladejo – California
 * QB Collin Schlee – Kent State
 * RB Carson Steele – Ball State
 * WR J. Michael Sturdivant – California
 * OL Jake Wiley – Colorado
 * DL Keanu Williams – Oregon

Outgoing transfers

 * K Nicholas Barr-Mira – Mississippi State
 * OL Baraka Beckett – Campbell
 * RB Christian Grubb – Portland State
 * EDGE Hayden Harris – Montana
 * DB Martell Irby – Arizona
 * DL Tyler Manoa – Arizona
 * LB Jake Newman – TBD
 * WR Matt Sykes – Rice
 * LB Jeremiah Trojan – Northern Arizona
 * CB Jelani Warren – Montana

Preseason

 * Duke Clemens named to the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) 2023 Outland Trophy watch list
 * Laiatu Latu named to the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) 2023 Nagurski Trophy watch list
 * Chase Griffin was named to The Wuerffel Trophy watch list
 * Duke Clemens was named to the Rimington Trophy (most outstanding center) watch list
 * Carsen Ryan named to the Mackey Award (most outstanding tight end) watch list
 * J. Michael Sturdivant was placed on the Biletnikoff Award (outstanding receiver) watch list
 * Carson Steele named to the Doak Walker Award (top running back) watch list
 * Darius Muasau named to the Butkus Award (top linebacker) watch list
 * Laiatu Latu named to the Bednarik Award (defensive player) watch list
 * Kam Brown was named to the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award (top offensive player) watch list
 * Laiatu Latu was named to the second-team of The Sporting News' College Football All-America Team
 * Dante Moore was selected to the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award watch list

vs North Carolina Central
This is the first meeting between the two schools.

at USC (Victory Bell)
UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers, who sat out the previous week with a foot injury, returned and passed for 155 yards and three touchdowns in a 38–20 win over the USC Trojans. Running back T. J. Harden ran for a career-high 142 yards on 22 carries, rushing for one touchdown and catching another. UCLA's defense held the Trojans to only three yards rushing and sacked USC quarterback Caleb Williams four times.

vs Boise State (LA Bowl)
UCLA won 35–22 over Mountain West Conference champion Boise State. It was the Bruins' first bowl win in Kelly's six-year tenure and the program's first since 2015. It was UCLA's third consecutive eight-win season, the first such streak in the program since 1988 under coach Terry Donahue.

Statistics
Source:

Awards and honors

 * November 20, 2023 – Defensive Coordinator D’Anton Lynn was named to the Broyles Award semi-finalist list
 * November 24, 2023 – Laiatu Latu is a finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy
 * November 28, 2023 – Laiatu Latu is a finalist for the Bednarik Award
 * December 1, 2023 – Laiatu Latu is a finalist for the Hendricks Award
 * December 6, 2023 – Laiatu Latu is the winner of the Lombardi Award (college football’s lineman of the year)
 * December 7, 2023 – Laiatu Latu wins the Ted Hendricks Award
 * December 11, 2023 – Laiatu Latu is the winner of the Pac-12's Morris Trophy
 * December 16, 2023 – Ethan Garbers (QB) and Darius Muasau (LB) were MVP of the 2023 LA Bowl