UCLA moved up 5 spots in the AP rankings without playing a game. Here are the latest AP and Coaches'rankings via ESPN. We are also no. 20 in the Harris Poll and no. 18 according to CFN. It will be interesting how we end up in the blogpoll. We were at no. 22 last week. Here is how we voted last week, if you want to share your top-25, fire away. I will be posting mine in this thread later today.
Lonnie White reports on how things are looking so good right now for this team (emphasis mine):
Thanks to a favorable schedule, the Bruins have a realistic chance of maintaining their early success.
UCLA does not have to play Oregon this season and faces California and Arizona State at the Rose Bowl. Other than a Dec. 3 rivalry game against USC at the Coliseum, UCLA's toughest road game is against Washington State on Oct. 15.
"We're really coming together as a team, that's the most important thing with us," senior linebacker Justin London said about the Bruins, who have not been ranked in the top 25 for consecutive weeks since November 2001. "We all pick each other up now whenever something doesn't go right. We've had time to jell."
First up for UCLA will be the struggling Huskies (1-3), coming off a 36-17 home loss to Notre Dame. Washington has been outscored, 118-85, this season and has not defeated UCLA at the Rose Bowl since 1995. Last year, the Bruins defeated the Huskies, 37-31, behind Maurice Drew's school-record 322 yards rushing.
After Washington, the Bruins will play California, which has lost two in a row against UCLA at the Rose Bowl.
"We just want to completely eliminate all outside obstacles and continue to work on the things that we've been doing," Dorrell said. "We have a pretty good focus right now. We understand week in and week out the things that we have to do."
After its game at Washington State, UCLA's first trip outside Southern California, the Bruins return home to play Oregon State on Oct. 22. UCLA then will play two road games at Stanford and Arizona and get a three-week break before playing USC.
There's a strong possibility that the Bruins will be favored every week until they face the Trojans.
In other words there is a "strong possibility" that the Bruins will be 10-0 when they take on SC. So really it is not that unreasonable to expect from the coach staff to have the team ready and focused so that it can actually match its talent and expectations and go 10-0 going into December 3rd.UCLA does not have to play Oregon this season and faces California and Arizona State at the Rose Bowl. Other than a Dec. 3 rivalry game against USC at the Coliseum, UCLA's toughest road game is against Washington State on Oct. 15.
"We're really coming together as a team, that's the most important thing with us," senior linebacker Justin London said about the Bruins, who have not been ranked in the top 25 for consecutive weeks since November 2001. "We all pick each other up now whenever something doesn't go right. We've had time to jell."
First up for UCLA will be the struggling Huskies (1-3), coming off a 36-17 home loss to Notre Dame. Washington has been outscored, 118-85, this season and has not defeated UCLA at the Rose Bowl since 1995. Last year, the Bruins defeated the Huskies, 37-31, behind Maurice Drew's school-record 322 yards rushing.
After Washington, the Bruins will play California, which has lost two in a row against UCLA at the Rose Bowl.
"We just want to completely eliminate all outside obstacles and continue to work on the things that we've been doing," Dorrell said. "We have a pretty good focus right now. We understand week in and week out the things that we have to do."
After its game at Washington State, UCLA's first trip outside Southern California, the Bruins return home to play Oregon State on Oct. 22. UCLA then will play two road games at Stanford and Arizona and get a three-week break before playing USC.
There's a strong possibility that the Bruins will be favored every week until they face the Trojans.
Are we excited about the 3-0 start? You betcha. But like we have been saying all last week - there is not going to be any "validation" of Karl Dorrell until he delivers a complete season in Westwood. And, this year considering the easy schedule in which we will be favored in every one of our remaining games and the sick talent on our offense, that complete season will have to come in the form of double digit wins. GO BRUINS.