Miami earns top ranking in both polls for first time in nearly 25 years

Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Miami earns top ranking in both polls for first time in nearly 25 years

By Alan Rubenstein | Last updated Oct 18, 2026 2:37 PM ET

For the first time since the end of the 2002 regular season, the Miami Hurricanes are the top-ranked team nationally. Miami beat Florida State 43-35 in double overtime on Saturday. Losses by Georgia and Notre Dame allowed Miami to ascend to the top ranking nationally.

Miami moved up after being ranked third in the AFCA Coaches Poll and the Associated Press Top 25 last week. The Hurricanes received 1,791 points and 50 of the 73 first-place votes in the AFCA Coaches Poll. Ohio State is second with 1,725 points and 13 first-place votes. BYU is third with 1,698 points and 10 first-place votes.

BYU beat Notre Dame 28-24. The Big 12 Conference issued a statement after the game that there should have been one second left in the game. Notre Dame should have had one more play from the BYU eight-yard line with a chance to win the game.

Georgia fell three spots to fourth in the AFCA Coaches Poll. Notre Dame is ranked eighth in the coaches poll after being second last week. Fifth-ranked Texas Tech moved up four spots in the AFCA Coaches Poll to fifth, rounding out the top five after a 53-25 win over Arizona State.

Not a single team stayed put in this week’s AP Top 25.

Miami is No. 1 for the first time since 2002 and BYU climbs to No. 2 after a historic weekend of upsets. See where your team landed: https://t.co/PyCSyxzXfg pic.twitter.com/Q2HFiv5GJj
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 18, 2026

Miami is No. 1 in the AP Top 25

Miami received 1,697 points and 40 first-place votes in the AP Top 25. BYU is second with 1,675 points and 20 first-place votes. Ohio State ascended to third with 1,649 points and nine first-place votes. Notre Dame is fourth and Georgia is fifth in the AP Top 25.

Miami was ranked first for the entire 2002 regular season, the last time the Hurricanes were No. 1 nationally. Ohio State earned a questionable win over Miami in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, preventing the Hurricanes from winning the 2002 national championship.

Miami will play its first game as the top-ranked team since 2002 on Saturday against Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh has five wins and two losses after a 27-21 loss at Boston College on Saturday. A potential top-five game looms for Miami at Notre Dame on November 7.

Alan Rubenstein

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