When the AP Poll comes out Sunday afternoon, the No. 1 spot is going to belong to somebody new. The real question is which of the three top contenders makes the jump: Ohio State, BYU or Miami.
Miami has the cleanest claim in the end, even if the case isn’t bulletproof. The Hurricanes’ schedule has not exactly been a gauntlet, and the ACC hasn’t done them any favors with Duke sliding and Pitt looking like “dead meat without Mason Heintschel.”
Outside of Notre Dame, the toughest games left appear to be at UNC on Oct. 31 and at home against Virginia Tech on Nov. 21.
The Hurricanes have won mostly in convincing fashion, but the FSU game surfaced some real concerns, and the injuries are adding up. Even with that in the picture, Miami still looks like the team that will be sitting at the top when the votes are counted.
Its best win remains the 19-15 victory at No. 5 Indiana.
Ohio State also has a strong argument, and it starts with the schedule. The Buckeyes have already gone through two road games against ranked opponents, and more challenge remains ahead.
At this point, Michigan might be the easiest game still left on the slate. The loss on the résumé is one thing, but the injury to Julian Sayin, which will keep him out for an extended period, could also matter to poll voters.
BYU belongs in the conversation too after handling Notre Dame in the first half and then doing enough late to escape with the win. Whether the late defensive play was a hold or not is beside the point here, because the result is what matters.
The bigger question for the Cougars is how long they can keep functioning at a high level on offense without running back LJ Martin. For now, though, the upcoming stretch looks manageable before Utah arrives for The Holy War on Nov.
For the first time in nearly 24 years, Miami is projected to be No. 1. Dec. 8, 2002, was the last time the Hurricanes sat atop the regular-season poll, and Mario Cristobal has followed through on his promise to bring the pride back to the program.
There is a little historical caution in the background, though. It feels a bit like 2007, when several teams kept taking turns at the top and nobody could hold the spot for long. Still, the bigger goal is the CFP 12-team playoff, and a No. 1 ranking only helps Miami get there.
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