The Miami Hurricanes’ run at the top of the AP Top 25 is over.
After three straight weeks at No. 1, Miami slid to No. 5 in the latest poll after Saturday night’s 31-24 loss to Notre Dame in South Bend, IN. The defeat came in prime time and exposed a first half that never quite got moving, with the Hurricanes digging themselves into a hole they couldn’t fully climb out of.
Georgia moved into the No. 1 spot for the first time this season after blasting No. 10 Ole Miss, 42-7.
Miami’s offense never found its rhythm early. Four of its first five drives ended without points, including one trip that reached the goal line before the Hurricanes settled for a field goal. Quarterback Darian Mensah finished 24 of 43 for 276 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, marking the first time this season he finished below 60 percent completions.
The absence of Malachi Toney was impossible to miss. The star receiver leads Miami in catches with 73, targets with 85, all-purpose yards with 1,157 and touchdowns with 13. Saturday was the first college game Toney had missed, and the 19-year-old is expected to miss the rest of the regular season after Thursday’s tightrope surgery for a high ankle sprain, according to reports.
Miami wasn’t the only top team to take a hit.
No. 23 Oregon rolled past No.
12 Ohio State, 41-28, in Columbus. The Ducks scored five touchdowns overall, with three on the ground and two through the air.
Dierre Hill Jr. paced Oregon with 13 carries for 75 yards, 106 total yards and two touchdowns.
Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith still produced, catching seven passes for 133 yards and a touchdown, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Buckeyes in control. The 2025 National Champions are now likely on the outside looking in at the College Football Playoffs.
Elsewhere, No. 6 Kentucky dropped to No.
13 Tennessee, and No. 24 Florida lost to Oklahoma, which was unranked by both the Selection Committee and AP voters.
Miami still has a path to the College Football Playoffs. If the Hurricanes win out and capture the Atlantic Coast Conference title, they can earn an automatic bid.
Their remaining regular-season schedule is manageable, with Virginia Tech on Nov. 21 and Boston College on Nov. 28.
In Other News...
Mario Cristobal Sounds Off After Miamis Most Infuriating Moment At Notre Dame
Mario Cristobal had plenty to say after Miamis trip to Notre Dame ended in frustration, and it started with the play that had the Hurricanes thinking they had forced one more swing at the finish. Elija Lofton appeared to haul in what looked like a game-tying touchdown catch, but officials ruled it incomplete after review, leaving Miami to settle for a 31-24 loss in a game that was already tight enough to hinge on a single call.
Cristobal made his disappointment clear in the postgame press conference, taking issue with the officiating while still congratulating Notre Dame on the win. For Miami, the sting was not just the final score but the way the ending unfolded, with a review that upheld the call and left the Hurricanes replaying what might have been in a loss that will linger well beyond Saturday night. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Faces One Big AP Poll Question After Weekend Shakeup
The weekend reshaped the top of the college football conversation in a hurry, and Miami was right in the middle of it. The Hurricanes loss to No. 4 Notre Dame came as part of a wild slate that also saw No. 11 Ohio State fall to unranked Oregon, while Alabama handled LSU and Tennessee took care of Kentucky, giving the AP poll voters plenty to sort through when the new rankings arrive.
For Miami, the bigger issue is not just the sting of one defeat, but what it means in the broader playoff picture. A No. 1 team losing to another highly ranked opponent is the kind of result that forces a fresh look at the hierarchy, and the Hurricanes now wait to see how much ground they give up in the national conversation after a weekend that changed the shape of the race. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Suddenly Has Two Big Problems After Its First Real Test
Miamis first real test of the season exposed a couple of issues the No. 1 Hurricanes cant ignore after the loss to Notre Dame in a game with College Football Playoff implications. The defense had trouble getting consistent pressure, and pass rusher Damon Wilson II never made a tackle, while the offense looked far less steady without injured playmaker Malachi Toney in the mix.
Darian Mensah still produced through the air, throwing for 202 yards and three touchdowns, but the interception at a key moment undercut an otherwise productive night. Cooper Barkate was a bright spot with 10 catches for 92 yards and two scores, yet Miami left South Bend with the kind of uneven performance that raises immediate questions about how quickly both sides of the ball can be cleaned up. [Read more 🡒]