​Support Local Media – Click to Add LA Sports Report as a Preferred Source on GoogleThe UCLA Bruins earned their first-ever College Football Playoff ranking, entering at No. 8 and in a strong position to secure a postseason berth.UCLA’s CFP ranking explainedUCLA is one of the few undefeated teams left in college football, sitting at 8-0 overall and 5-0 in the Big Ten. Thus far, UCLA’s best wins are against Oregon and Wisconsin, two teams that had momentum at different points in the year. Other than those two victories, the rest of the schedule has not aged well for the Bruins, reflected in the fact that they were only ranked eighth despite their perfect record so far. Still, this puts the Bruins in a good spot to make the Playoffs, even if they lose a game or two.UCLA still needs to play Michigan at The Big House, a tough environment no matter how the team plays, along with a marquee matchup against the USC Trojans. If the Bruins come out unscathed from their four remaining games, they will be in a great spot to claim a possible first-round bye.How Bob Chesney is handling the new expectationsChesney is doing his best to keep his team focused on their remaining schedule, rather than dwelling on what the team has already accomplished.UCLA had modest expectations, but now the team is a legitimate playoff contender, but Chesney wants the team to stay focused on the day-to-day practices.“I told them the two most meaningless statistics in all of college sports are the score at halftime, that’s one, and two is your record going into November. November obviously is what matters,” Chesney said. “These guys were locked in today. Played a very tough, physical brand of football, and we’ve got to get another two days out of them before we get on that plane.”Chesney has been sensational at getting the Bruins’ focus and buy-in, but the challenge only grows as the team advances. With starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava out, staying undefeated will be tough, but the team’s belief has them riding high and dreaming big. The post UCLA Faces Defining November After Landing No. 8 CFP Ranking appeared first on LA Sports Report.