UCLA Reaches Top 5, Ohio State Falls to No. 11
The Bruins post their highest ranking since 2001 while the Buckeyes drop out of the top 10 for the first time since 2021.
By Talia Bennett ·
UCLA reached No. 5 in The Associated Press Top 25 poll on Sunday, marking the highest position for the Bruins in 25 years. The team has not been ranked this highly since 2001, when they sat at No. 4 after a perfect 6-0 start. This climb follows a 27-0 shutout of Nevada, giving UCLA its first 8-0 start since 2005 under first-year coach Bob Chesney.
The poll also saw a sharp decline for Ohio State. The Buckeyes fell from No. 2 to No. 11 after losing 30-18 at Southern California. This marks the first time since September 26, 2021, that Ohio State has been outside the top 10. Prior to this drop, the team had remained in the top 10 for 86 consecutive weeks, a streak that began after they returned to the rankings following a 39-point win over Rutgers.
Miami held the No. 1 spot for the third straight week after a 38-35 victory over North Carolina. The Hurricanes received 62 of the 70 first-place votes from the media panel. Georgia moved up to No. 2, followed by Utah at No. 3 and Notre Dame at No. 4. Indiana dropped two spots to No. 6 after a 23-16 overtime win over Minnesota. BYU, Kentucky, Alabama, and Texas completed the top 10.
New Mexico earned its first ranking in program history at No. 22. The Lobos, who have played football since 1892, secured the spot after a 21-16 win at San Jose State. This is Jason Eck’s second season in charge, and the team is on pace for its first 7-1 start since 1982.
Other movements included USC entering the poll at No. 18 after beating Ohio State, a win described as the largest in Lincoln Riley’s five seasons. Iowa returned to the rankings at No. 21 following a 30-0 victory over Wisconsin. South Carolina entered at No. 23 after winning three straight, its first ranking since September 2025.
Teams leaving the poll included SMU, which lost 30-27 at Syracuse, and Northwestern, which fell at Oregon. Oklahoma State exited after losing 51-49 to Iowa State in a shootout. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell faced renewed pressure after the loss, despite a previous dominant win over USC.
Miami will visit Notre Dame on Saturday for a matchup between the No. 1 and No. 4 teams. The game is scheduled to test the Hurricanes' lead in the voting panel against a ranked opponent.
