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UCLA Sports

Idle UCLA makes a move in college football rankings, rising to No. 13 in both major polls

Duke Clemens puts an arm around Greg Dulcich.
UCLA tight end Greg Dulcich, right, is congratulated by teammate Duke Clemens after scoring a touchdown against LSU on Sept. 4 at the Rose Bowl.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles Times staff writer Ben Bolch
By Ben Bolch
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UCLA got something for nothing Sunday, moving up three spots to No. 13 in both the Associated Press and coaches polls despite not playing over the weekend.

The Bruins (2-0) continue to bask in the afterglow of their Sept. 4 victory over Louisiana State (1-1), which notched its first victory of the season Saturday with a 34-7 triumph over McNeese State, a Football Championship Subdivision school.

UCLA’s next opponent, Fresno State (2-1), received votes in both polls after walloping Cal Poly, 63-10, one week after nearly knocking off Oregon. The Bruins will face the Bulldogs on Saturday night at the Rose Bowl.

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Only two other Pac-12 Conference schools were ranked after Stanford upset No. 14 USC, 42-28, knocking the Trojans out of both polls. Oregon moved up to No. 4 in both polls after toppling Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, and Arizona State moved up to No. 19 in the AP poll and No. 21 in the Coaches Poll after a 37-10 victory over Nevada Las Vegas.

Curiously, USC received far more votes than Stanford in both the AP poll and the coaches’ poll despite suffering a loss to the Cardinal that was far more lopsided than the score indicated. UCLA will open Pac-12 play against Stanford on Sept. 25 at Stanford Stadium.

Oregon running back CJ Verdell, center, scores a touchdown against Ohio State during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

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UCLA Sports
Ben Bolch

Ben Bolch has been a Los Angeles Times staff writer since 1999. He is serving his second stint as the UCLA beat writer, which seems fitting since he has covered almost every sports beat except hockey and horse racing. Bolch is also the author of the recently released book “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die.” He previously covered UCLA basketball from 2010-11 before going on to cover the NBA and the Clippers for five years. He happily traded in gobs of hotel points and airline miles to return to cover UCLA basketball and football in the summer of 2016. Bolch was once selected by NBA TV’s “The Starters” as the “Worst of the Week” after questioning their celebrity journalism-style questions at an NBA All-Star game and considers it one of his finer moments.

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