UCLA has seven home games on its 2026 football schedule as it looks to become a successful Big Ten team after two seasons of disappointing results and turmoil within the program.The slate includes a significant streak of hosting mediocre Big Ten teams from the Central and Eastern time zones, as well as a crucial rivalry game against a potential top-25 team to end the regular season in late November.— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) January 27, 2026Let's take a look at how those home matchups rank by difficulty.1. November 28: vs. USCIt almost makes too much sense to put the biggest rivalry game of UCLA's season on this list, even with it having to wait until the final week. By this time, we'll know how good each team is, whether UCLA's season has been successful, and whether a potential win over USC could make all the difference.Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans running back King Miller (30) carries the ball against UCLA Bruins linebacker Isaiah Chisom (32) in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesWhile USC hasn't lived up to its usual hype since joining the Big Ten, the Trojans found themselves in the Big Ten hunt at times last season and return several players from a team that finished in the top 20. USC was the only 2026 home opponent for UCLA that appeared in the final 2025 rankings.2. October 13: vs. IllinoisIllinois is another team in a similar spot to USC, with at least eight wins in three of the last four seasons. Head coach Bret Bielema has proven to be one of the more underrated coaching hires of recent offseasons, taking the Fighting Illini to a new level of consistent competitiveness in the Big Ten.Illinois head coach Bret Bielema is shown after their game Saturday, October 1, 2022 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis. Illinois beat Wisconsin 34-10.