UCLA football made one of the week’s loudest moves in the national polls after knocking off Oregon, jumping all the way to No. 12 in both the AP Top 25 and the USA Today Coaches Poll.
That surge puts the Bruins in a strong spot entering Saturday’s matchup with Wisconsin, which had the week off but is still hanging just outside the rankings. The Badgers sit at No. 26 in the AP poll and No. 30 in the Coaches poll.
The top of the polls also got a shakeup after Texas lost to Oklahoma. Georgia moved into the No. 1 spot, with Notre Dame and Miami right behind it. Ohio State and Indiana complete the top five, though the order isn’t identical between the two polls: the Buckeyes are No. 4 in the AP poll and No. 5 in the Coaches poll, while Indiana climbed to No. 5 in the AP poll and No. 4 in the Coaches poll after passing Alabama.
Alabama stayed in the mix just behind that group. The Crimson Tide edged Texas by a point to hold No. 6 in the AP poll, but the Coaches Poll had Texas ahead of Alabama, with the Tide at No. 7.
Below that, BYU held steady at No. 8 in both polls. Ole Miss remained No.
9, Texas Tech climbed a bit to No. 10 in the AP poll, and the two teams swapped spots in the Coaches poll. Utah, still unbeaten, moved up one spot in each poll to finish out the Top 12.
Other Big Ten teams also showed up across the rankings. Southern Cal moved up two spots to No. 15 in the Coaches poll while staying No. 19 in the AP poll.
Iowa is now No. 16 in the Coaches poll and No. 17 in the AP poll. Northwestern landed at No. 25 in the AP poll, while Oregon was No. 25 in the Coaches poll.
The Ducks dropped out of the AP Top 25 but are still receiving votes.
Nebraska is also still in the receiving-votes group in both polls, but not enough to crack the Top 25.
UCLA’s next game is set for Saturday, October 17 at the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin. Kickoff is at 4:30 pm PT, and NBC will carry the broadcast.
In Other News...
UCLA's Quarterback Situation Just Overshadowed A Gritty Win At Oregon
The Bruins left Eugene with a hard-earned 17-15 win over Oregon, but the scoreline only tells part of the story. UCLA needed a physical, mistake-free finish to survive a tight road game, and the victory came with one of those messy quarterback days that can change the feel of a season in a hurry. Wayne Knight was the steady force throughout, piling up a career-high workload and giving the offense the kind of balance it needed to stay afloat.
Nico Iamaleavas first half set off the alarm bells, and once he was unavailable after the break, the Bruins had to shift on the fly and lean on Ty Dieffenbach. The backup helped keep the offense moving in relief, while UCLAs defense and run game did enough to close it out. The bigger question now is what this means for the quarterback room going forward, because a win like this usually quiets one debate even as it opens another. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Survived Oregon With A Twist Fans Didn't See Coming
UCLAs 17-15 win over Oregon carried the kind of significance the Bruins have been chasing for years. It was their first victory over the Ducks since 2017 and their first at Autzen Stadium since 2004, the sort of road result that can change the way a season feels almost overnight. Senior running back Wayne Knight helped make it happen with a career-high 22 carries and two touchdowns, giving UCLA enough offense to survive a tight, physical game.
The victory also kept Bob Chesneys start in Westwood rolling in a way that stands out in program history, even as the Bruins had to navigate a major in-game shakeup at quarterback. Nico Iamaleava was injured during the game and Ty Dieffenbach finished it, leaving UCLA to lean even harder on its defense and ground game as it protected a slim lead and came out of Eugene with a result few outside the locker room probably expected. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon's Playoff Hopes Just Took A Brutal Turn
Oregons College Football Playoff path got a lot tighter after a 17-15 loss to UCLA, a result that sent a jolt through the rest of the season picture for the Ducks. Injuries forced both teams to lean on backup quarterbacks, and Oregon never quite found its footing, with turnovers and a thin ground game making every possession feel heavier than usual.
For UCLA, the win was the kind of upset that can reshape a November conversation, especially with the Ducks still carrying postseason expectations. Oregons margin for error is now shrinking fast, and the next stretch only gets more daunting with a road trip to No. 5 Ohio State looming as the kind of game that can define what comes next. [Read more 🡒]