UCLA projected to jump to No. 11 as Oregon faces drop from AP Top 25 after Week 6

UCLA's win in Eugene could move the Bruins up 10 spots in Sunday's AP Top 25. Oregon, meanwhile, may fall out of the poll entirely after losing as a double-digit favorite at home.

That is how Chip Patterson of CBS Sports sees it in his weekly projection of the new poll. He has UCLA climbing from No. 21 to No. 11 after the Bruins improved to 5-0. He lists No. 13 Oregon among three teams projected to drop out, along with No. 16 Florida and No. 25 Pittsburgh. At the top, Georgia replaces Texas at No. 1 after the Longhorns lost to Oklahoma and the Bulldogs won at Alabama.

Patterson called the win over the Ducks "unquestionably the best win of the season from a resume perspective" for UCLA. He also noted a complication: the win could lose some of its value with voters if Oregon is unranked on Sunday afternoon. He projects voters will use Texas Tech, another unbeaten team, as a reference point when deciding how far to move the Bruins. That would put UCLA one spot behind the Red Raiders and just outside the top 10.

Oregon's fall shows how little patience voters have with a team that has lost more than once. Texas and Alabama both suffered their first losses Saturday, and Patterson expects their earlier work to soften the drop. He doesn't see that protection for the Ducks or the Gators, who now have to answer for multiple losses. Oregon's résumé also took another hit elsewhere. Patterson noted that Oklahoma State's signature win over the Ducks looks less impressive now, even as the Cowboys move up to a projected No. 16 at 4-1.

Outside of Los Angeles and Eugene, the projection is kinder to the Big Ten. Ohio State holds at No. 5 after a 45-16 win over Maryland, built on a heavy run game, another big day from Jeremiah Smith and a defense that kept the Terrapins in check. Patterson pointed out that the Buckeyes' strength of schedule could take a hit after unexpected losses by Texas and Oregon, two teams on their schedule.

Indiana is projected to rise one spot to No. 6 after rallying for a 20-17 win at Nebraska. The defending national champions are 6-0 and 33-2 since the start of 2024. Patterson admitted the performance won't do much for anyone arguing the Hoosiers are the best team in the country.

Iowa is projected at No. 17, up three spots, after a 41-24 win at Washington on Friday night. CBS Sports noted it was the program's first regular-season win in the Pacific time zone since 1965. USC moves up one spot to No. 18 after winning at Penn State, a result that pushes back against the Trojans' reputation for struggling on the road under Lincoln Riley.

That puts five Big Ten teams in Patterson's projected top 18. For UCLA, a ranking just outside the top 10 would be the latest step in a quick turnaround. For Oregon, the projection shows how quickly a second loss can drop a team down the ballots.