Big Ten Power Rankings, Week 7: UCLA on top for now, ahead of Ohio State vs. Indiana clash

The Bruins are undefeated with the best win of anyone, but either Indiana or Ohio State is about to change that For at least one week, the UCLA Bruins are the kings of the Big Ten. After some impressive early performances, everyone was waiting to see how UCLA handled a road test against Oregon before fully buying in on what Bob Chesney is building in Year 1 in Westwood. A 17-15 win — that felt more convincing than the final score indicated — was the point of affirmation the Bruins needed to truly be taken seriously as a Big Ten contender in 2026. Five of UCLA's last seven games are at home and they miss both Indiana and Ohio State on their remaining schedule, setting up a real possibility that the Bruins play their way into the Big Ten title game and the College Football Playoff.

To do so, UCLA will have to lean on backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach who will be the starter going forward after Nico Iamaleava suffered what is likely a season-ending knee injury late against Oregon. If there's an offense built to mitigate the damage of losing a starting quarterback, it's UCLA's run-heavy attack led by star back Wayne Knight, but Iamaleava's injury does present a significant hurdle for the Bruins. As of this moment, UCLA's