The Bruins have been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll at least once in every decade since the poll began in the 1930s.
UCLA’s first major period of success came in the 1950s, under head coach Red Sanders, who led the Bruins to the Coaches’ Poll national championship in 1954, three conference championships, and an overall record of 66–19–1 in nine years.
During the Terry Donahue era in the 1980s and 1990s, the Bruins compiled a 151–74–8 record, including 13 bowl games and an NCAA record eight straight bowl wins.
UCLA has produced 28 First-Round picks in the NFL Draft, 30 consensus All-Americans, and multiple major award winners, including Heisman Trophy winner Gary Beban.
The Bruins were the Pac-12 Conference South Division champions for two years and played Pac-12 Football Championship Games in both 2011 and 2012.
The table below includes season rundowns with Conference, W-L record, win percentage, coach, and bowl game, if any, for each year
| Year | Conf | W | L | T | Pct | Coach | Bowl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Pac-12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | .667 | Chip Kelly | |
| 2020 | Pac-12 | 3 | 4 | 0 | .429 | Chip Kelly | |
| 2019 | Pac-12 | 4 | 8 | 0 | .333 | Chip Kelly | |
| 2018 | Pac-12 | 3 | 9 | 0 | .250 | Chip Kelly | |
| 2017 | Pac-12 | 6 | 7 | 0 | .462 | Jedd Fisch Jim Mora | Cactus Bowl-L |
| 2016 | Pac-12 | 4 | 8 | 0 | .333 | Jim Mora | |
| 2015 | Pac-12 | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | Jim Mora | Foster Farms Bowl-L |
| 2014 | Pac-12 | 10 | 3 | 0 | .769 | Jim Mora | Alamo Bowl-W |
| 2013 | Pac-12 | 10 | 3 | 0 | .769 | Jim Mora | Sun Bowl-W |
| 2012 | Pac-12 | 9 | 5 | 0 | .643 | Jim Mora | Holiday Bowl-L |
| 2011 | Pac-12 | 6 | 8 | 0 | .429 | Rick Neuheisel Mike Johnson | Fight Hunger Bowl-L |
| 2010 | Pac-10 | 4 | 8 | 0 | .333 | Rick Neuheisel | |
| 2009 | Pac-10 | 7 | 6 | 0 | .538 | Rick Neuheisel | EagleBank Bowl-W |
| 2008 | Pac-10 | 4 | 8 | 0 | .333 | Rick Neuheisel | |
| 2007 | Pac-10 | 6 | 7 | 0 | .462 | Karl Dorrell DeWayne Walker | Las Vegas Bowl-L |
| 2006 | Pac-10 | 7 | 6 | 0 | .538 | Karl Dorrell | Emerald Bowl-L |
| 2005 | Pac-10 | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | Karl Dorrell | Sun Bowl-W |
| 2004 | Pac-10 | 6 | 6 | 0 | .500 | Karl Dorrell | Las Vegas Bowl-L |
| 2003 | Pac-10 | 6 | 7 | 0 | .462 | Karl Dorrell | Silicon Valley Bowl-L |
| 2002 | Pac-10 | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | Bob Toledo Ed Kezirian | Las Vegas Bowl-W |
| 2001 | Pac-10 | 7 | 4 | 0 | .636 | Bob Toledo | |
| 2000 | Pac-10 | 6 | 6 | 0 | .500 | Bob Toledo | Sun Bowl-L |
| 1999 | Pac-10 | 4 | 7 | 0 | .364 | Bob Toledo | |
| 1998 | Pac-10 | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | Bob Toledo | Rose Bowl-L |
| 1997 | Pac-10 | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | Bob Toledo | Cotton Bowl-W |
| 1996 | Pac-10 | 5 | 6 | 0 | .455 | Bob Toledo | |
| 1995 | Pac-10 | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | Terry Donahue | Aloha Bowl-L |
| 1994 | Pac-10 | 5 | 6 | 0 | .455 | Terry Donahue | |
| 1993 | Pac-10 | 8 | 4 | 0 | .667 | Terry Donahue | Rose Bowl-L |
| 1992 | Pac-10 | 6 | 5 | 0 | .545 | Terry Donahue | |
| 1991 | Pac-10 | 9 | 3 | 0 | .750 | Terry Donahue | Sun Bowl-W |
| 1990 | Pac-10 | 5 | 6 | 0 | .455 | Terry Donahue | |
| 1989 | Pac-10 | 3 | 7 | 1 | .318 | Terry Donahue | |
| 1988 | Pac-10 | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | Terry Donahue | Cotton Bowl-W |
| 1987 | Pac-10 | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | Terry Donahue | Aloha Bowl-W |
| 1986 | Pac-10 | 8 | 3 | 1 | .708 | Terry Donahue | Freedom Bowl-W |
| 1985 | Pac-10 | 9 | 2 | 1 | .792 | Terry Donahue | Rose Bowl-W |
| 1984 | Pac-10 | 9 | 3 | 0 | .750 | Terry Donahue | Fiesta Bowl-W |
| 1983 | Pac-10 | 7 | 4 | 1 | .625 | Terry Donahue | Rose Bowl-W |
| 1982 | Pac-10 | 10 | 1 | 1 | .875 | Terry Donahue | Rose Bowl-W |
| 1981 | Pac-10 | 7 | 4 | 1 | .625 | Terry Donahue | Bluebonnet Bowl-L |
| 1980 | Pac-10 | 9 | 2 | 0 | .818 | Terry Donahue | |
| 1979 | Pac-10 | 5 | 6 | 0 | .455 | Terry Donahue | |
| 1978 | Pac-10 | 8 | 3 | 1 | .708 | Terry Donahue | Fiesta Bowl-T |
| 1977 | Pac-8 | 7 | 4 | 0 | .636 | Terry Donahue | |
| 1976 | Pac-8 | 9 | 2 | 1 | .792 | Terry Donahue | Liberty Bowl-L |
| 1975 | Pac-8 | 9 | 2 | 1 | .792 | Dick Vermeil | Rose Bowl-W |
| 1974 | Pac-8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | .636 | Dick Vermeil | |
| 1973 | Pac-8 | 9 | 2 | 0 | .818 | Pepper Rodgers | |
| 1972 | Pac-8 | 8 | 3 | 0 | .727 | Pepper Rodgers | |
| 1971 | Pac-8 | 2 | 7 | 1 | .250 | Pepper Rodgers | |
| 1970 | Pac-8 | 6 | 5 | 0 | .545 | Tommy Prothro | |
| 1969 | Pac-8 | 8 | 1 | 1 | .850 | Tommy Prothro | |
| 1968 | Pac-8 | 3 | 7 | 0 | .300 | Tommy Prothro | |
| 1967 | AAWU | 7 | 2 | 1 | .750 | Tommy Prothro | |
| 1966 | AAWU | 9 | 1 | 0 | .900 | Tommy Prothro | |
| 1965 | AAWU | 8 | 2 | 1 | .773 | Tommy Prothro | Rose Bowl-W |
| 1964 | AAWU | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | Bill Barnes | |
| 1963 | AAWU | 2 | 8 | 0 | .200 | Bill Barnes | |
| 1962 | AAWU | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | Bill Barnes | |
| 1961 | AAWU | 7 | 4 | 0 | .636 | Bill Barnes | Rose Bowl-L |
| 1960 | AAWU | 7 | 2 | 1 | .750 | Bill Barnes | |
| 1959 | AAWU | 5 | 4 | 1 | .550 | Bill Barnes | |
| 1958 | PCC | 3 | 6 | 1 | .350 | George Dickerson Bill Barnes | |
| 1957 | PCC | 8 | 2 | 0 | .800 | Red Sanders | |
| 1956 | PCC | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | Red Sanders | |
| 1955 | PCC | 9 | 2 | 0 | .818 | Red Sanders | Rose Bowl-L |
| 1954 | PCC | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | Red Sanders | |
| 1953 | PCC | 8 | 2 | 0 | .800 | Red Sanders | Rose Bowl-L |
| 1952 | PCC | 8 | 1 | 0 | .889 | Red Sanders | |
| 1951 | PCC | 5 | 3 | 1 | .611 | Red Sanders | |
| 1950 | PCC | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | Red Sanders | |
| 1949 | PCC | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | Red Sanders | |
| 1948 | PCC | 3 | 7 | 0 | .300 | Bert LaBrucherie | |
| 1947 | PCC | 5 | 4 | 0 | .556 | Bert LaBrucherie | |
| 1946 | PCC | 10 | 1 | 0 | .909 | Bert LaBrucherie | Rose Bowl-L |
| 1945 | PCC | 5 | 4 | 0 | .556 | Bert LaBrucherie | |
| 1944 | PCC | 4 | 5 | 1 | .450 | Babe Horrell | |
| 1943 | PCC | 1 | 8 | 0 | .111 | Babe Horrell | |
| 1942 | PCC | 7 | 4 | 0 | .636 | Babe Horrell | Rose Bowl-L |
| 1941 | PCC | 5 | 5 | 1 | .500 | Babe Horrell | |
| 1940 | PCC | 1 | 9 | 0 | .100 | Babe Horrell | |
| 1939 | PCC | 6 | 0 | 4 | .800 | Babe Horrell | |
| 1938 | PCC | 7 | 4 | 1 | .625 | William Spaulding | |
| 1937 | PCC | 2 | 6 | 1 | .278 | William Spaulding | |
| 1936 | PCC | 6 | 3 | 1 | .650 | William Spaulding | |
| 1935 | PCC | 8 | 2 | 0 | .800 | William Spaulding | |
| 1934 | PCC | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | William Spaulding | |
| 1933 | PCC | 6 | 4 | 1 | .591 | William Spaulding | |
| 1932 | PCC | 6 | 4 | 0 | .600 | William Spaulding | |
| 1931 | PCC | 3 | 4 | 1 | .438 | William Spaulding | |
| 1930 | PCC | 3 | 5 | 0 | .375 | William Spaulding | |
| 1929 | PCC | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 | William Spaulding | |
| 1928 | PCC | 4 | 4 | 1 | .500 | William Spaulding | |
| 1927 | SCIAC | 6 | 2 | 1 | .722 | William Spaulding | |
| 1926 | SCIAC | 5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | William Spaulding | |
| 1925 | SCIAC | 5 | 3 | 1 | .611 | William Spaulding | |
| 1924 | SCIAC | 0 | 5 | 3 | .188 | James Clline | |
| 1923 | SCIAC | 2 | 5 | 0 | .286 | James Cline | |
| 1922 | SCIAC | 2 | 3 | 1 | .417 | Harry Trotter | |
| 1921 | SCIAC | 0 | 5 | 0 | .000 | Harry Trotter | |
| 1920 | SCIAC | 0 | 5 | 0 | .000 | Harry Trotter | |
| 1919 | Ind | 2 | 6 | 0 | .250 | Fred W. Cozens |