UCLA Football was ranked No. 8 in the first College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings of the 2026 season. The CFP selection committee unveiled its initial top 25 rankings on ESPN Tuesday afternoon.
The Bruins’ (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) No. 8 ranking matches their highest in CFP history, previously achieved on Nov. 25, 2014. The ranking marks UCLA’s first appearance in the CFP top 25 since Oct. 31, 2023, when the Bruins were ranked No. 19.
Bob Chesney, the Angelo M. Mazzone III UCLA Head Football Coach, has directed the Bruins to one of the greatest single-season turnarounds in program history in his first year in Westwood. UCLA, one of three remaining unbeaten FBS teams, sits atop the Big Ten Conference standings with four games remaining in the regular season.
UCLA boasts one of the top defenses in the country, ranking in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense (13.4 points per game), total defense (260.8 yards allowed per game), rushing defense (87.3 yards allowed per game), takeaways (26), turnover margin (+15), interceptions (16) and fumble recoveries (10). Offensively, the Bruins lead the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (219.5), rushing touchdowns (25) and yards per carry (5.44).
The CFP selection committee will announce five more sets of rankings, including four weekly announcements on Tuesdays and the final unveiling of the 12-team playoff bracket on Sunday, Dec. 6. Below is the complete schedule of remaining rankings announcements.
2026 College Football Playoff Rankings Schedule
Tuesday, Nov. 3 – 4-5 p.m. PT
Tuesday, Nov. 10 – 6-6:30 p.m. PT
Tuesday, Nov. 17 – 6-6:30 p.m. PT
Tuesday, Nov. 24 – 4:30-5 p.m. PT
Tuesday, Dec. 1 – 4-4:30 p.m. PT
Sunday, Dec. 6 – 9 a.m.-12 p.m. PT (final rankings)
2026 College Football Playoff Rankings (Tuesday, Nov. 3)
1. Miami [FL]
2. Georgia
3. Utah
4. Indiana
5. Alabama
6. Kentucky
7. Texas
8. UCLA
9. BYU
10. Ole Miss
11. Notre Dame
12. Ohio State
13. Tennessee
14. LSU
15. Texas Tech
16. Wake Forest
17. Houston
18. Missouri
19. Iowa
20. USC
21. South Carolina
22. Arizona
23. Oregon
24. Florida
25. Boise State
UCLA Ticket Information
Single-game tickets for UCLA’s two remaining home games against Illinois (Fri., Nov. 13) and USC (Sat., Nov. 28) are available for purchase. Fans can call (310) 206-5991 or email tickets@athletics.ucla.edu for more information.