Oct 5, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive tackle Coziah Izzard (99) and safety Jaylen Reed (1) stop UCLA Bruins running back Jalen Berger (0) during the third quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

AP Top 25 Shakeup: UCLA Opponents Rise and Fall

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI | By Connor Moreno | Last updated Sep 29, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Believe it or not, the UCLA Bruins' (0-4, 0-1 Big Ten) remaining schedule just got a lot more daunting than it was entering Week 5 of the college football season.

The Bruins entered the week with four opponents in AP's Top 25, and although one fell out of the rankings with a loss, UCLA has to look forward to three top 10 opponents on the horizon.

With that being said, let's take a look at where UCLA's remaining opponents rank in the updated AP Top 25 College Football Poll.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (No Change)

The top team in the nation remains undefeated after Ohio State took down Washington, 24-6, to open up its Big Ten conference play. The Buckeyes are showing no sign of slowing down, matching up against Minnesota this week before taking on No. 22 Illinois afterwards.

7. Penn State Nittany Lions (Down 4)

The Nittany Lions were outmatched against their first ranked opponent, dropping 30-24 in overtime to the No. 6-ranked Oregon Ducks. The loss pushed Penn State down from No. 3 in the nation to No. 7. Nonetheless, the Bruins will still have their hands full in the Rose Bowl.

8. Indiana Hoosiers (Up 3)

The Indiana Hoosiers keep rising as one of the nation's best teams, narrowly defeating Iowa and rising from No. 11 to No. 8 in the country. The Bruins now have three remaining opponents in the top 10 of AP's updated Top 25 college football polls.

Others Receiving Votes

31. USC Trojans (22 Votes)

A potential bright side of Week 5 for UCLA? The Trojans lost and were kicked out of the Top 25. In a No. 21 vs. No. 23 matchup against Illinois, USC lost 34-32 on a game-winning field goal. Surely, the Trojans will recover from this loss and may even be ranked again at the end of the season when they clash with the Bruins.

32. Maryland Terrapins (7 Votes)

The Terrapins had a bye this week, but were one of the biggest stories of last weekend, opening up conference play with a dominant 27-10 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers. The Terrapins entered the season below the Bruins in many Big Ten power rankings, but an undefeated nonconference slate followed up by last week's win marks yet another projected UCLA loss in Week 8.

This article first appeared on UCLA Bruins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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