Another chaotic Saturday has the AP Top 25 set for another shake-up, but the top of the board should stay put. Miami did exactly what a No. 1 team is supposed to do, rolling past Pittsburgh and keeping control of the top spot while a bunch of teams around it stumbled, sat idle, or both.
The biggest movement is likely to come just below the Hurricanes, where BYU’s loss to unranked UCF opens the door for Ohio State to rise to No. 2.
The Buckeyes were off in Week 8, but with Julian Sayin out and going to USC next, they should still slide up after the Cougars’ setback. Notre Dame also stands to gain from BYU’s loss, even while sitting idle before a return date with Navy next Saturday.
There should be plenty of turbulence in the middle of the poll, too, especially for teams that took losses to unranked opponents. Tennessee’s drop looks steep after its last-second loss at South Carolina, even with the win over Alabama still on the résumé.
Texas Tech also figures to slide after falling to unranked Cincinnati, though its 2-point win over a Houston team that pushed Utah hard may soften the blow. Houston, in turn, is likely to fall after a close loss at Utah added to its earlier 2-point defeat to Texas Tech.
At No. 10, Texas looks positioned for one of the week’s biggest upward moves.
The Longhorns snapped a two-game slide by beating No. 7 Ole Miss, and that win should pair with their victories over Ohio State and Tennessee to give them a significant boost.
Ole Miss, despite the loss at Texas, can hang on to some credit after scoring 21 unanswered points to make the game respectable and on the strength of wins over ranked LSU and Missouri.
Among the teams still climbing, Utah should rise after turning an early 10-0 deficit into a key Big 12 win over Houston. Kentucky, now alone atop the SEC after beating Vanderbilt, also has a strong case to move up before a road test at Tennessee. UCLA should continue its unbeaten run after moving to 7-0 with a win over Michigan State, while Indiana’s overtime road win over Michigan keeps the Hoosiers in strong shape despite an ugly 13-6 game.
Lower in the poll, there are several teams hanging on despite losses or inactivity. Iowa could get dropped out after losing at Minnesota, though the lack of obvious replacements might keep the Hawkeyes inside the top 25. Florida, Missouri, Wake Forest, and Georgia were all idle, and Georgia now heads into its rivalry game with Florida needing to avoid a second straight loss after the setback against Auburn.
At the back end, Oklahoma State appears ready to return after piling up 57 points on Colorado and benefiting from USC’s loss. Arizona also should be moving up after a dominant win over Iowa State, while Northwestern’s 502-yard outburst in a blowout of Rutgers and SMU’s multi-score rushing day against Cal both keep them in the mix.
Here’s how the projected AP Top 25 should shake out after Week 8:
- Oklahoma State
- Iowa
- Arizona
- Northwestern
- SMU
- Missouri
- Boise State
- Florida
- Tennessee
- LSU
- Houston
- Ole Miss
- Wake Forest
- Texas Tech
- Alabama
- Texas
- Kentucky
- Utah
- UCLA
- BYU
- Indiana
- Georgia
- Notre Dame
- Ohio State
- Miami
Boise State should remain in the playoff picture conversation after playing Washington State close early and getting help from James Madison’s loss, while Alabama settled things late against Texas A&M with two fourth-quarter touchdowns to improve to 6-2. LSU’s road win at Auburn was impressive, but tougher tests against Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee are still ahead.
The top line remains simple: Miami stays No. 1. The Hurricanes handled business, and in a week packed with upsets, that was enough.
In Other News...
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The exchange came off as tense but still cordial, though Cristobals gestures were viewed by some as more aggressive than routine. It was a fitting end to a game shaped in part by Pitts quarterback injury, which had already altered the feel of the matchup before the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
No. 1 Miami Just Sent A Scary Message To Everyone
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What stood out just as much was the way Miamis defense controlled the game from start to finish. The Hurricanes came away with two sacks, four tackles for loss and a forced fumble while holding the opponent under 100 rushing yards, a reminder that this team is winning with more than just firepower. If there was any doubt about how complete Miami can look at its best, this outing offered another strong answer. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Is Suddenly In The Middle Of A Huge 2027 Recruiting Battle
Mario Cristobal and the Miami staff are in the thick of another important recruiting fight, this time for four-star North Carolina linebacker Quinton Cypher. A current Ohio State commit, Cypher is back on campus in Miami as the Hurricanes continue making their case during the closing stretch of the 2027 recruiting cycle, with the program clearly treating him as a priority target.
Linebacker remains an area Miami wants to fortify, especially with future departures expected at the position, and Cypher fits the kind of talent level the Hurricanes have been chasing. Any move away from Ohio State would be a major swing in Miamis favor, and the fact that he is visiting again suggests this recruitment is still very much alive. [Read more 🡒]