Utah, UCLA Crack AP Top Five

Both undefeated programs led by first-year head coaches sit in the top five of the latest AP Top 25 poll.

Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Football

Utah is ranked No. 3 and UCLA No. 5 in the latest AP Top 25 college football poll, with both teams still undefeated. UCLA's ranking is its first top-five AP placement since late October 2001.

Why it matters

The poll placements reflect strong early-season results for two programs now under first-year head coaches. UCLA's ranking marks a notable return to the top five after more than two decades.

The AP Top 25 poll places Utah third and UCLA fifth among 25 ranked teams, with UCLA's placement its first top-five AP ranking since October 2001. Both teams remain undefeated, and how the rankings shift over the rest of the season is not yet known.

The players

Utah

Utah is a university football program competing in the Big 12 Conference, and is currently undefeated and ranked No. 3 in the AP poll.

UCLA

UCLA is a university football program based in Los Angeles, and is currently undefeated and ranked No. 5 in the AP poll.

The details

Utah and UCLA are both undefeated and rank in the top five of the latest AP Top 25 college football poll. Each team is led by a first-year head coach.

October 2001: UCLA last held a top-five AP ranking in late October.
November 1, 2026: The latest AP Top 25 poll ranks Utah No. 3 and UCLA No. 5.

Season Trajectory

UCLA's No. 5 ranking is its first top-five AP placement since late October 2001, a gap of more than two decades. Utah's No. 3 placement, alongside UCLA's, places two first-year-coached programs near the top of the national poll this season.

Utah and UCLA's top-five placements affect how the poll is seeded and how each team's national profile develops over the rest of the season. Fans following these two schools can track the rankings through the weekly AP Top 25 updates.

The takeaway

Two undefeated teams with first-year head coaches now sit in the top five, a combination that makes the rest of the season a closer watch for the national picture. Readers can follow weekly poll movement to see whether either team holds its position.