UCLA moves up to No. 9 in AP poll after beating USC

Defensive end Takkarist McKinley celebrates UCLA's 38-20 win over USC on Saturday night. (Keith Birmingham/Staff)

Defensive end Takkarist McKinley celebrates UCLA’s 38-20 win over USC on Saturday night. (Keith Birmingham/Staff)

UCLA was already ranked in the top 10 of the playoff rankings last Tuesday, but the Associated Press voters followed suit after watching it thump USC for the third straight year.

The Bruins moved up two spots to No. 9, the same spot they held in last week’s playoff rankings. The selection committee has consistently placed Pac-12 teams higher than their placements in AP poll, which bodes well for UCLA’s chances to continue creeping up on Tuesday evening.

The Bruins are in the top 10 of the AP poll for the first time since September, when they were ranked eighth following a blowout win at Arizona State. Jim Mora’s squad is currently the second-highest ranked two-loss team, one spot behind Georgia.

Oregon stayed at No. 3, and will play the Bruins for the Pac-12 title if the latter beats Stanford. If UCLA loses, the Ducks will instead face the winner of Arizona vs. Arizona State. Both of those games will kick off Friday at 12:30 p.m. PT.

Utah and USC are both out of the poll entirely, as well as out of the Pac-12 South race.

The Pac-12 and the SEC each have four teams ranked in the top 15 of the AP poll. The Big 12 and the Big Ten have three each, while the ACC’s lone entry is No. 1 Florida State.

See the full Associated Press poll below:

1. Florida State (37), 11-0
2. Alabama (21), 10-1
3. Oregon (2), 10-1
4. Mississippi State, 10-1
5. Baylor, 9-1
6. TCU, 9-1
7. Ohio State, 10-1
8. Georgia, 9-2
9. UCLA, 9-2
10. Michigan State, 9-2
11. Kansas State, 8-2
12. Arizona, 9-2
13. Arizona State, 9-2

14. Wisconsin, 9-2
15. Auburn, 8-3
16. Georgia Tech, 9-2
17. Missouri, 9-2
18. Ole Miss, 8-3
19. Marshall, 11-0
20. Oklahoma, 8-3
21. Colorado State, 10-1
22. Minnesota, 8-3
23. Clemson, 8-3
24. Louisville, 8-3
25. Boise State, 9-2