UCLA football moves to No. 9 in AP poll, claiming highest ranking since 2022
Senior quarterback Ty Dieffenbach stands behind UCLA’s offensive line before a snap. The Calabasas, California, local made his Rose Bowl debut in the squad’s Saturday match against Wisconsin. (William Gauvin/Daily Bruin staff)
By Kate Bergfeld
Oct. 18, 2026 10:20 p.m.
The train keeps rolling.
No. 9 UCLA football made a statement in the AP Top 25 rankings, earning its highest placement since 2022. The squad is coming off a 17-7 victory over Wisconsin at the Rose Bowl on Saturday night.
Coach Bob Chesney’s highly anticipated arrival in Westwood came after a 3-9 season for the Bruins. The only bright spot in 2025 was a three-game winning streak in the middle of the season.
The year prior was also dreary, with a 5-7 record and no postseason appearance.
Chesney came to the West Coast fresh off a historic season at James Madison in which he led the Dukes to a Sun Belt title and the school’s first appearance in the College Football Playoff.
And now his talents are in full effect with the Bruins.
“I believe in these guys,” Chesney said after beating Wisconsin. “I told them back in the spring that there are fibers of a really high-level football team that exist within this program, and we just need to put it all together and test it in fire, and compete, and that’s just the way this program works.”
UCLA kicked off the 2026 campaign with four double-digit wins, but still faced questions from the media on if it would hold up when facing tougher opposition.
And the Bruins had an answer.
“There’s a lot of guys on this team who have a lot to prove,” said senior wide receiver Landon Ellis. “The guys who were here last year, obviously we struggled. Guys like Ty (senior quarterback Ty Dieffenbach) came from an FCS program, they have a lot to prove. There’s nothing like it, man – it’s awesome.”
On the road against then-No. 13 Oregon, the squad proved to everyone that the hype surrounding the Chesney Train was real. Upsetting the Ducks 17-15, the Bruins’ 5-0 record earned them a No. 12 ranking in the polls.
After adding yet another win to their record, the Bruins have continued to soar in the standings, and their bowl eligibility is bringing them into serious conversations surrounding the College Football Playoff.
“Obviously, we have had some good games thus far,” said fifth-year defensive back Mason Rivera. “But when we chose to stay here or to transfer here, our new coaching staff came in, no one sat down and said, ‘Hey, we want to go 6-0.’ So we said that we wanted to win a Big Ten championship. Our journey does not stop here, and we want to be on the rise.”
