Miami climbed to No. 5 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 college football poll, marking its highest position since 2017.
The Hurricanes’ rise comes after an impressive 8-0 start, including a crucial win over Florida State on Saturday.
Led by Heisman contender Cam Ward, Miami has now been in the top 10 for eight consecutive weeks, though this is their highest placement since briefly occupying the No. 2 spot in November 2017.
Meanwhile, Texas, which fell from No. 1 to No. 5 following a loss to Georgia, slid further to sixth after narrowly defeating Vanderbilt by three points.
Notre Dame made a significant leap to No. 8, bouncing back from an early season loss to Northern Illinois with a commanding 51-14 win over Navy.
BYU continued its upward trajectory, moving to No. 9 after an impressive road win over UCF.
The Cougars, now 8-0, have reached their highest ranking since 2020, when they opened the season with nine consecutive victories. Texas A&M also broke into the top 10 after a 38-23 triumph over LSU.
Under first-year coach Mike Elko, the Aggies climbed four spots to No. 10, marking their highest position since they were ranked sixth in September 2022.
At the top, Oregon maintained its grip on the No. 1 spot, earning 61 of 62 first-place votes following a dominant 38-9 victory over Illinois.
Georgia, idle over the weekend, held onto the No. 2 position with the remaining first-place vote. Penn State stayed at No. 3 after overcoming the loss of quarterback Drew Allar to secure a road win at Wisconsin.
Ohio State, still ranked fourth, struggled to a narrow 21-17 victory against heavy underdog Nebraska.
In terms of major moves within the poll, Notre Dame and Texas A&M were the biggest risers. LSU, however, suffered the steepest drop, falling from No. 8 to No. 16 after their defeat to the Aggies.
BYU has been steadily climbing, appearing in six consecutive polls since first entering at No. 22 in late September. Pittsburgh has also gained momentum, moving up in four straight polls since debuting on October 6.
This week marked a shift in conference representation. Texas’ drop to No. 6 means the SEC has only one team in the top five for the first time this season.
The Big Ten, on the other hand, continued its dominance with three of the top four spots for the fourth consecutive week.
Miami’s surge to No. 5 also makes them the first ACC team to break into the top five since Florida State reached No. 4 in December last year.
Two new entrants shook up the poll. Washington State, now 7-1, entered at No. 22 after defeating San Diego State. The Cougars are the first team from what remains of the Pac-12 to be ranked this season.
Meanwhile, Deion Sanders’ Colorado side earned the No. 23 spot following a 6-2 start, marking the program’s first appearance in the poll since early last season.
Vanderbilt, however, dropped out of the rankings after just one week at No. 25, despite receiving the most votes among teams outside the Top 25.
Navy also exited the poll after turning the ball over six times in their 51-14 defeat to Notre Dame. In contrast, Army climbed to No. 21, remaining undefeated at 7-0.
Ranked vs. Ranked Showdowns
This week features some intriguing matchups between ranked teams. No. 4 Ohio State will visit No. 3 Penn State in a showdown that promises to shake up the top of the poll.
Both teams are dealing with injuries, none more significant than the knee problem plaguing Penn State quarterback Drew Allar. The Buckeyes have dominated this rivalry recently, winning seven consecutive meetings.
In the ACC, No. 18 Pittsburgh will face No. 20 SMU, with both teams defying preseason expectations.
Pitt was initially picked to finish 13th in the conference, while SMU was projected to finish seventh. Their unexpected success has set the stage for one of the most compelling matchups of the weekend.
The race for conference supremacy and playoff positioning is heating up, and the coming weeks will likely bring further surprises as the season heads into its final stretch.