It’s a new week but the UCLA Bruins climbed up the US LBM Coaches Poll yet again, rising to the No. 7 spot in this week’s poll. UCLA struggled a bit, but still picked up a 28-10 victory this week over Michigan State to stay unbeaten in 2026.
Miami (FL) remains in the top spot, with Ohio State and Georgia rounding out the top-three. Then it’s Indiana, Utah and Notre Dame before the Bruins in the No. 7 spot. Of the top-seven teams in the country, only Miami, Utah and UCLA are undefeated. The Bruins are the final Big Ten or SEC school to be undefeated but it’s clear that the voters aren’t all the way sold on the new-look Bruins.
UCLA has beaten the teams they’ve faced this season but they’ve only had to go up against one ranked team so far this season (Oregon)
and they faced the Ducks without starting quarterback Dante Moore. UCLA also doesn’t have their starting quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, and potentially some voters aren’t yet sold on Ty Dieffenbach as the quarterback on one of the top teams in the country.
The Big Ten had more representation than just UCLA, Ohio State and Indiana with Northwestern climbing up to No. 18, Iowa falling to No. 24 and USC miraculously staying in the Top-25 at No. 25.
6-2 USC got the nod after losing to unranked Wisconsin and having lost to Oregon earlier this season, who is also unranked. The Trojans don’t have any ranked win but after USC’s 24-7 loss to the Badgers are somehow still viewed as a Top-25 team.
Reputations aren’t built in one season and UCLA will need to continue to prove themselves as an elite program. The Bruins will face Nevada at home in a nonconference game, giving the team a chance to move to 8-0 as we head into November.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: UCLA jumps to No. 7 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, USC lingers at No. 25
