UCF win over BYU should help Miami gain more first-place votes

Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

UCF win over BYU should help Miami gain more first-place votes

By Alan Rubenstein | Last updated Oct 24, 2026 8:57 PM ET

Central Florida's 39-31 double-overtime win over BYU on Saturday should help Miami when the rankings are released on Sunday.

Miami beat Pittsburgh 52-23 on Saturday. BYU entered the week ranked second in the Associated Press Top 25 and AFCA Coaches Polls behind No. 1 Miami.

Miami received 1,697 points and 40 first-place votes in the Week 8 AP Top 25 and 1,791 points and 50 first-place votes in the AFCA Coaches Poll. BYU received 1,675 points and 20 first-place votes in the AP Top 25 and 1,698 points with 10 first-place votes as the third-ranked team in the Week 7 AFCA Coaches Poll.

Ohio State and Texas Tech were the only other teams receiving first-place votes in the Week 8 polls. The Buckeyes had 1,649 points and nine first-place votes as the third-ranked team in the AP Top and 1,725 and 13 first-place votes as the second-ranked team in the AFCA Coaches Poll.

Texas Tech was eighth in the Week 8 AP Top 25 with 1,336 points and one first-place vote. The Red Raiders were fifth in the AFCA Coaches Poll, but did not receive any first-place votes. Cincinnati beat Texas Tech 37-24 on Saturday in a disastrous day for the Big 12.

Only three unbeaten teams remain with No. 2 BYU losing at UCF in a wild double overtime game, 39-31. Miami, Utah and UCLA are only remaining undefeated teams. No. 10 Utah plays No. 14 Houston tonight.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 24, 2026

Week 9 top-five shakeup

BYU and Texas Tech's losses, with Georgia, Ohio State and Notre Dame on bye weeks, will shake up the Week 8 top five. Ohio State will move up to second in the AP Top 25. Notre Dame was fourth and Georgia fifth in the Week 8 top 25. Georgia was fourth, Texas Tech fifth, Indiana sixth, Mississippi seventh and Notre Dame eighth in the AFCA Coaches Poll.

Miami should receive most of the first-place votes BYU had in the Week 8 poll. Ohio State has won five consecutive games after losing 24-23 at Texas in Week 2. Texas is 4-2 and hosting Mississippi on Saturday night. A Texas win over Mississippi would send the top 10 into further chaos.

Alan Rubenstein

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