Miami’s grip on the top spot looks safe after a weekend that shook up the rankings everywhere else.
The Hurricanes rolled past Pitt 52-23, and with that, they appear set to remain No. 1 in the AP poll after Week 8. In a 2026 season that has already seen plenty of turnover at the top, Miami answered its latest test in emphatic fashion.
It was the first time Miami played as the AP No. 1 team since 2002, and the offense delivered another huge showing from quarterback Darian Mensah and wide receiver Malachi Toney. Toney set a school record with 16 catches and finished with 194 receiving yards, while Mensah threw for 387 yards and accounted for four touchdowns.
Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi summed up the day with a blunt assessment: “A buzz saw,” was how Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi described Miami on the day, coming out on the wrong end of the 52-23 decision.
Miami’s win should put an end to a messy three-week run at No. 1.
Texas lost to unranked Oklahoma and dropped, then Georgia fell after a loss to unranked Auburn. Miami, meanwhile, took care of business and avoided becoming the next team to lose the top billing.
The bigger shakeup may come just behind the Hurricanes, where BYU took a stunning hit on the road. After moving up to No. 2 following a dramatic win over then-No.
2 Notre Dame, the Cougars had a chance to strengthen their spot against unranked UCF. Instead, UCF pulled off a double-overtime upset at the Bounce House, throwing the top of the Big 12 picture into even more chaos.
That loss opens the door for Ohio State, which was idle after beating Indiana last week, to move into the No. 2 spot. Beyond that, the AP voters have a tougher puzzle.
BYU’s drop will force a decision on how to handle Notre Dame, which is currently No. 4 after falling by four points to the Cougars last week. Pollsters could slide BYU below the Irish, but that would create obvious head-to-head questions.
Another possibility is keeping BYU one spot ahead of Notre Dame at No. 3.
There’s also a path that pushes Indiana into the top four after its road win over Michigan, lifts Georgia over BYU because of its stronger win against Alabama, and keeps Notre Dame behind the Cougars.
Those are the kinds of decisions the AP pollsters have to untangle. The one thing that looks clear is this: Miami is staying at No. 1.
In Other News...
Indiana Has A Real Problem As Title Hopes Stay Alive
Indianas playoff hopes are very much alive, and the defense has been a big reason why. At 7-1, the Hoosiers have built a profile that belongs in the national top tier, staying in games against elite opposition and giving themselves a legitimate shot at a postseason run even as the schedule stiffens.
The concern is harder to ignore on offense, where this group has not matched the production Indiana enjoyed in previous seasons. The Hoosiers can survive with a dominant defense for now, but the margin shrinks against top-10-caliber teams, and how they handle those offensive issues from here will say a lot not just about this season, but about where the program is headed next. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Fans Get One More Look Before DeVries Turns To What Counts
Indiana will wrap up exhibition play Sunday afternoon in Evansville, giving Hoosiers fans one more chance to see Darian DeVries team before the games start counting for real. The matchup with Western Kentucky at the Ford Center comes after a 2-0 preseason that included wins over Butler and North Carolina, a start that has at least offered an early glimpse of how this roster is taking shape.
Western Kentucky, coached by Hank Plona, brings its own test into the building, led by scorer Teagan Moore and guard Armelo Boone. For Indiana, the setting is less about the record than the last tune-up, the final opportunity to work through rotations and sharpen details before moving on to the part of the schedule that will define what this team is. [Read more 🡒]
Indianas Defense Looks Elite But The Hoosiers Have A Bigger Problem
Indianas defense carried the day in its 13-6 overtime win over Michigan, smothering the Wolverines from the opening series and keeping the game from ever getting away. The Hoosiers held Michigan to just 93 total yards in the first half and kept stacking up turnovers and sacks, with Amare Ferrell, Rolijah Hardy, Tobi Osunsanmi and AJ Harris all turning in impact snaps that made the difference when the offense could not find much rhythm.
That kind of effort has been the backbone of Indianas rise, and it was again the reason the Hoosiers left with a statement win. But even in a game where the defense looked elite, the bigger concern is still what Indiana does when it has the ball, because the margin for error gets much thinner when the stops have to be this constant to survive. [Read more 🡒]