UCLA Hits Top 5 While Ohio State Falls Out of Top 10
The Bruins achieve their highest ranking since 2001, and the Lobos enter the poll for the first time in program history.
By Olivia Miller ·
UCLA is ranked fifth in the Associated Press Top 25 poll released Sunday, marking the first time the Bruins have reached that position in 25 years. The program last held a top five ranking in 2001 when it was fourth after a 6-0 start. Under first-year head coach Bob Chesney, UCLA has won all eight of its games, a record it has not achieved since 2005. The team secured its latest victory with a 27-0 shutout of Nevada.
The shift in rankings follows a turbulent weekend for traditional powerhouses. Ohio State dropped from second to eleventh place after falling 30-18 to Southern California. This loss ends an 86-week streak in which the Buckeyes remained inside the top 10. Their last time outside the top 10 was September 26, 2021. Southern California entered the poll at 18th place following that win, which was the largest victory of head coach Lincoln Riley's five seasons at the school.
New Mexico has entered the rankings for the first time in the program's history. The Lobos are listed at 22nd place after defeating San Jose State 21-16. This is the first 7-1 start for the team since 1982. Head coach Jason Eck is in his second season at the university, which has played football since 1892. New Mexico is currently the only unbeaten team in the Mountain West conference.
Miami holds the number one spot for a third consecutive week. The Hurricanes defeated North Carolina 38-35 to maintain their position. They received 62 of the 70 first-place votes from the media panel. Georgia moved up one spot to number two, while Utah and Notre Dame hold numbers three and four, respectively. Miami will play Notre Dame on Saturday in a matchup between two top five teams.
Indiana fell to number six after an overtime victory over Minnesota. BYU, Kentucky, Alabama, and Texas complete the top 10. Iowa returned to the poll at number 21 after a 30-0 win over Wisconsin. South Carolina is ranked 23rd, its first appearance in the poll since September 2025, following a three-game winning streak.
SMU, Northwestern, and Oklahoma State left the rankings this week. SMU lost 30-27 to Syracuse, a result that likely ends its playoff chances. Northwestern fell to Oregon after leading into the fourth quarter. Oklahoma State lost 51-49 to Iowa State in a game decided by a field goal. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell faces renewed pressure after the loss to Iowa, following a strong showing against USC the previous week.
