Bruins Ascend to No. 1 as Irish Storm Into Top 10
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Bruins Ascend to No. 1 as Irish Storm Into Top 10

UCLA claims the throne while Notre Dame's 13-spot surge shakes up the back half of the poll.

D1Ball StaffTuesday, August 4, 2026

The Bruins (37-1) vault to No. 1, supplanting the Huskies (38-1), who slip from the top spot to No. 3 in a reshuffling that puts UCLA's dominance — and a single loss all season — above UConn's equally remarkable résumé. The Gamecocks (36-4) ride from No. 4 to No. 2, giving the poll a new premier trio separated by a combined four defeats.

No team climbed harder than the Fighting Irish (25-11), who rocketed 13 spots from No. 22 to No. 9 — the kind of leap that turns heads and signals a program hitting its stride when it matters most. The Horned Frogs (32-6) also surged, jumping eight spots to No. 6, while the Blue Devils (27-9) cracked the top five from No. 8.

The Hawkeyes (27-7) took the steepest tumble, falling nine spots from No. 7 to No. 16. Three newcomers entered the fold — the Cavaliers, Crimson Tide, and Huskies — proof that the race for the bottom of the Top 25 is every bit as ruthless as the fight at the top.

Data via ESPN · Summarized by D1Ball's editorial engine from official statistics.

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