UCLA is back in the AP poll, and that alone changes the conversation around the Bruins as they head into their bye week.
The Bruins landed at No. 23 in the Week 4 AP Poll, putting them just behind Boise State at No. 22 and ahead of Kentucky at No. 24. It’s UCLA’s first appearance in the rankings since the 2023 season, and the placement immediately sets up an interesting comparison with the Broncos.
Boise State lost to Oregon and still stayed in the Top 25, even though the rest of its schedule has not included much in the way of strong opposition outside of the Ducks. That’s why UCLA’s ranking feels fragile in the short term. The Bruins will travel to Eugene in Week 6 to face Oregon in a ranked matchup, and at No. 23, they do not have much room to absorb a loss and stay in the poll.
If UCLA comes up short, the Bruins will likely need either a tight, competitive game against the Ducks or a win to hold onto their spot. And after four weeks, the case for UCLA getting that kind of result is stronger than it looked earlier in the season. The team appears capable of matching Oregon, and a win is no longer something that sounds far-fetched.
That kind of result would do more than just help UCLA stay ranked. It would give the Bruins a major boost in the push toward the College Football Playoff, even if the road from here is still a difficult one. UCLA still needs signature wins, and its current resume does not stack up with the projected playoff field.
A victory at Oregon could lift the Bruins as high as the top 15 in the AP Poll, but that would only be part of the job. UCLA would still need to keep winning, avoid slipping against lesser opponents, and build on what has been a strong start.
For now, though, the Bruins get a break. They’ll spend the bye week resting before the trip to Eugene, where Week 6 will provide the first real chance to see just how far this team can go.
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