Miami has reached No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since 2002, according to a report published October 18, 2026. BYU has climbed to No. 2, marking its highest ranking since the 1984 national championship season.
The recent college football weekend was characterized by significant upsets, with five of the top seven teams losing. This represents the first time in the 90-year history of the AP poll that such a high number of top teams have fallen in a single week. Miami and BYU were the primary beneficiaries of the shifts, joined in the top three by Ohio State.
The Hurricanes moved into the top spot from Georgia, which had occupied the No. 1 position for one week after losing to Auburn at home. Georgia remains in the top five despite the loss. Miami secured its position after a double overtime victory against rival Florida State on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Hurricanes received 40 of the 70 first-place votes from the media voting panel.
BYU secured the No. 2 spot after defeating Notre Dame 28-24 in a home game, despite entering the matchup as a 10.5-point underdog. The Cougars' win moves them to a 6-0 record for the third consecutive year. BYU received 20 first-place votes and has not been ranked higher than No. 4 in a poll or in the top five since 1996.
Other notable shifts in the rankings include Alabama dropping seven spots to No. 13 following a loss to Tennessee, and Texas falling 12 spots to No. 19 after a home loss to Florida. Florida returned to the rankings at No. 20. Arizona made its season debut in the poll at No. 25.
In the Big 12, Utah is ranked No. 10. The Cougars face No. 14 Houston in an upcoming matchup. The Cougars are currently an unbeaten team that escaped Colorado as a 15.5-point favorite.
The current Top 25 includes several notable rankings: No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 Notre Dame, No. 5 Georgia, No. 6 Indiana, No. 7 Mississippi, No. 8 Texas Tech, and No. 9 UCLA. Other ranked teams include No. 11 Tennessee, No. 12 Kentucky, No. 13 Alabama, No. 17 Wake Forest, No. 18 LSU, No. 19 Texas, No. 20 Florida, No. 21 Boise State, No. 22 Missouri, No. 23 SMU, and No. 24 Northwestern.
