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UCLA football makes stunning move in CFP rankings after initial snub
UCLA rose from eighth to fourth in the latest College Football Playoff rankings after beating Minnesota on the road, putting the unbeaten Bruins in line for a first-round bye in the 12-team playoff. The jump gives UCLA its highest ranking since the committee began issuing its rankings and comes after last week’s initial placement prompted questions about whether the team had been underrated.
Committee chairman Hunter Yurachek said UCLA had continued to improve, pointing to its defence, running game and backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach, who threw two 75-yard touchdown passes in the 34-20 win. UCLA is 9-0, one of only two unbeaten teams in major college football alongside Utah; Georgia and Utah sit above the Bruins, with Alabama third. The rankings shifted across the board, while USC climbed to 18th and Indiana fell five places to ninth during a bye week.
In short
- UCLA climbed four places to fourth in the CFP rankings.
- The 9-0 Bruins are on course for a first-round bye.
- Backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach threw two 75-yard touchdowns against Minnesota.
Explained simply
The College Football Playoff decides which US university teams compete for the national championship. This season, 12 teams will qualify, with the top four in the committee’s rankings receiving a bye through the first round.
UCLA, known as the Bruins, represents the University of California, Los Angeles, and competes in major college football. The rankings are set by a selection committee, whose chairman is Hunter Yurachek; teams can rise or fall based on their results and the committee’s assessment of their performance.
An unbeaten record can strengthen a team’s case, but rankings also shape the route through the playoff. A place in the top four brings a bye, while other qualifiers must play an extra round.