UCLA’s climb has hit a level the program hasn’t seen in a long, long time.
After blanking Nevada 27-0 yesterday, the Bruins surged to No. 5 in both major polls this week, landing at their highest spot since October 21, 2001. That’s the kind of jump that turns heads on any college football Saturday, and it comes with UCLA now sitting as the highest-ranked Big Ten team in the AP Poll.
The AP voters gave the Bruins a boost after Ohio State fell to Southern Cal and Indiana survived a tight one with Minnesota. That pushed UCLA up to fifth, while Indiana slipped to sixth. In the Coaches Poll, UCLA also rose to fifth after passing Notre Dame, putting the Bruins two spots behind the Hoosiers there.
Miami and Georgia stayed locked in at Nos. 1 and 2 in both polls. Utah made one of the biggest moves of the week, climbing from sixth to third in the AP Poll and from fifth to fourth in the Coaches Poll.
Notre Dame moved up to fourth in the AP Poll, while BYU, Kentucky and Alabama each moved up one spot in both rankings. Texas rounded out the AP top 10 after moving up as well.
Ohio State’s slide was a notable part of the shuffle. The Buckeyes dropped to 11th in the AP Poll and landed 10th in the Coaches Poll after the loss to Southern Cal.
The rest of the Big Ten picture shifted, too. Southern Cal re-entered the AP Poll at No. 18 and checked in at No. 17 in the Coaches Poll.
Iowa was the final Big Ten team in the AP rankings at No. 21, while the Hawkeyes moved up to No. 20 in the Coaches Poll. Northwestern was the last Big Ten team listed in the Coaches Poll, falling from 18th to 23rd.
The Wildcats, the Ducks and the Golden Gophers all received votes in the AP Poll. In the Coaches Poll, Oregon, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Nebraska picked up votes.
UCLA’s next test comes Saturday, November 7, against Minnesota at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The game is set for 9:00 am PT, with Fox carrying the broadcast and Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt on the call. The forecast calls for a high of 50° at the open-air venue.
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UCLA's Unbeaten Rise Comes With One Concern Fans Can't Ignore
UCLAs unbeaten start has pushed the Bruins into rare air, and the latest AP poll reflects it. After opening 8-0 and blanking Nevada 27-0, UCLA is sitting at No. 5, a level the program has not reached in the poll since 2001. The defense has done its part in keeping the Bruins on a fast track, and the overall resume has given the season a different kind of weight around Westwood.
Bob Chesney has been quick to point out, though, that the offense still has room to grow as the schedule tightens. The shutout in Reno showed how far the defense can carry this team, but it also left a familiar question hanging over a breakthrough season: whether UCLA can keep climbing if the scoring side does not match the rest of the operation. [Read more 🡒]
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For UCLA, the practical impact is simple enough: Kusturica is going to have to keep building his game in college before he can even be considered for the next NBA cycle. Spears path already shifted when he reclassified to the 2026 recruiting class and committed to Texas, while the broader draft picture keeps getting reshaped by eligibility rules that can alter timelines long before a player reaches the floor. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Faces An Early Test That Could Define Mick Cronins Team
UCLAs early-season identity is already taking shape around the same old Cronin formula: defense first, toughness everywhere else, and enough discipline to survive the kind of game that can expose a young roster. The Bruins have leaned on players like Nikola Kusturica and Xavier Booker as they settle into roles, but the trip into this matchup with Arizona is the kind of stage that usually tells you a lot more than a box score ever will.
Arizona brings the sort of offensive pressure that can test every layer of UCLAs approach, from communication on the perimeter to how well the Bruins handle the games final possessions. The bigger question may not just be whether UCLA can hang defensively, but which pieces Cronin trusts when the game tightens up and the rotation gets shorter. [Read more 🡒]