Texas against California; SEC vs. Pac-12. Two teams with power potential decide it's time to build a rivalry.

UCLA also plans to take on a West Coast challenger in the seasons ahead. It meets San Diego State home-and-home this decade.

However, the Bruins' plans forced a postponement of a series against Rutgers.

It all starts in the 2016 college football season.

"We are very pleased this series was able to come together and provides our program with an exciting, premier non-conference matchup against UCLA," Texas A&M athletic director Eric Hyman said in a statement. "UCLA brings one of the top programs from the West Coast to the redeveloped Kyle Field in Aggieland, and for our Aggie team and the 12th Man to have the chance to play in the Rose Bowl is a historic opportunity."

The details: First up is a Bruins trip to Kyle Field on Sept. 3, 2016. The Aggies reciprocate with a game at the Rose Bowl on Sept. 2, 2017. Both games will be season openers.

UCLA and A&M split the four games they have played. The most recent: UCLA's 29-23 victory in the 1998 Cotton Bowl.

Their most recent meeting was in the 1998 Cotton Bowl, a 29-23 win for UCLA. They played three times in California (1940, '51 and '55).

Texas A&M will be playing its first regular-season game on the West Coast since 1992, when it beat Stanford in Anaheim, Calif.

San Diego State could be the beneficiary of its series against the Bruins. The schools' football programs have played 22 times in 93 years. The Aztecs are 0-21-1. The teams last played in 2009.

The UCLA-San Diego State series is set for 2019 at the Rose Bowl, and then 2020 at Qualcomm Stadium.

San Diego State faces Oregon State in 2014, followed by a home-and-home series against California and home and home against Arizona State.

UCLA and Rutgers had scheduled games in 2016 and '17, but the series now calls for the Scarlet Knights to be at the Rose Bowl in 2020. The Bruins' trip will be in 2021.


SHAME GAME


John Junker, former Fiesta Bowl chief executive, faces eight months in federal prison after acknowledging that he participated in an illegal campaign contribution scheme.

Junker was sentenced Thursday in Phoenix after pleading guilty two years ago to a conspiracy charge. In the scheme, bowl employees made illegal campaign contributions to politicians and were reimbursed by the nonprofit event.

The charge carried a maximum possible penalty of five years behind bars.

The scandal jeopardized the bowl's NCAA license and its status as one of four bowls in the national college football championship rotation.

It also exposed the lavish spending and perks that the Fiesta Bowl heaped on lawmakers and employees — though no charges were filed involving those perks.

Among other things, Junker received cars, country club memberships and $1,200 for a trip to a strip club.


MUNCHIE HUNGERS


Dressed in his red No. 4 jersey, Munchie Legaux stood behind the line of scrimmage with a football gripped by his back shoulder, as though he was going to throw a pass during a full-speed drill.

He's not ready for that yet. Legaux, Cincinnati's senior quarterback, is months away from getting cleared for full contact following a gruesome injury to his left knee. But it was enough for him just to be on the field Thursday for a spring practice.

"The biggest way the injury has changed me is I never take anything for granted," Legaux said. "I'm humble and thankful that I'm here today walking, talking, breathing, smiling."

Legaux is getting a chance to prolong his football career. The NCAA granted him an extra season of eligibility after his senior year was cut short.

Legaux was hit on the left leg as he threw a pass during the second game of last season. The leg bowed, tearing the anterior cruciate ligament and the posterior cruciate ligament. He also tore cartilage.

Legaux knew right away it could be a career-ending injury.

"On my way to the hospital in the ambulance, I was asking the trainers: Is my career over? Would I play again? Did we win? Did he catch the ball on that play?" Legaux said.

The Bearcats lost the game 45-17. Doctors fixed the knee and gave him a 50-50 chance of playing. Legaux hadn't taken a redshirt season, so last month the NCAA granted him another one.

Legaux can throw the ball — he made some passes during a scaled-back drill on Thursday — but can't run. He wears a brace on the knee and has a limp when he jogs. It's still uncertain whether the knee will heal enough to let him play.

"Thank goodness the NCAA gave him another year," coach Tommy Tuberville said. "He's making the most of it. Now whether he can do it, I don't know. He's got about four or five months to continue to rehab, but we'll see how far along he gets."

Legaux has played in 31 games during his four-year career, completing 52 percent of his passes for 2,847 yards with 20 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

With Legaux injured and Kay leaving after graduation, the Bearcats have been getting ready to move on at quarterback. Gunner Kiel, who sat out last season after transferring from Notre Dame, and junior college transfer Jarred Evans will compete for the starting job.

Contributing: Ray Slover, The Associated Press, San Diego Union-Tribune