Not only did the UCLA Bruins’ 4-0 start to the season get the team a spot in the US LBM Coaches Poll, it also got UCLA a spot in the Week 4 Associated Press Top-25 rankings, where the Bruins sit in the No. 23 spot.
It’s been a historic rise for UCLA football, starting last season 0-4 before completely reversing their fortunes in 2026 under new head coach Bob Chesney. Not only did Chesney lead the turnaround, it’s not over yet, as UCLA will prepare for a ranked matchup against Oregon following the team’s Week 5 bye.
UCLA put together their best performance of the season on Saturday, crushing Maryland 54-3 on the road while the Bruins’ rushing attack continued to excel. We’re now four weeks into the season and the UCLA offense ranks No. 6 in the country
with 281.5 rushing yards per game. The only other Power Four school with more yards on the ground per game is West Virginia.
There’s a new leader in the Big Ten according to this week’s AP Poll, with the Ohio State Buckeyes jumping over the Indiana Hoosiers. Ohio State is the No. 5 team in the country while Indiana dropped down to No. 6.
After Indiana, it’s Iowa at No. 14, Oregon at No. 15, USC at No. 18 and then UCLA at No. 23. Iowa and Oregon both rose in the polls after important Big Ten road wins, with the Hawkeyes knocking Michigan out of the poll while the Ducks handled business against the Trojans in Los Angeles.
Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan, Nebraska, Minnesota and Northwestern all received votes in this week’s poll.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: UCLA football is in the AP Poll for the first time under Bob Chesney
