The AP Top 25 didn’t just move on Sunday - it got blown wide open.
Five of the top eight teams lost on the same day, the first time that’s ever happened in AP poll history, and the result was a rankings reset that pushed Miami to No. 1 and sent BYU rocketing to No. 2. The undefeated Hurricanes picked up 40 first-place votes and moved past Georgia, which dropped to No. 5 after a last-second home loss to unranked Auburn.
BYU’s rise was the other major headline from the shakeup. The Cougars climbed six spots after beating then-No.
2 Notre Dame in a finish that stirred immediate controversy, and the Big 12 later said officials erred by not putting another second on the clock. Notre Dame fell to No. 4 anyway, while the conference’s good day kept rolling with Texas Tech jumping two spots to No. 8 after a blowout win over Arizona State.
The Big 12 now owns three teams in the top 10, the best mark of any conference. The Big Ten also has three - Ohio State, Indiana and UCLA - while the SEC has two.
For the SEC, this was a rough one. A week ago, the league had four teams in the top 10 and seven in the top 15.
Now it’s down to two top-10 teams and five in the top 15. Ole Miss was the only top-10 team from last week to get through Saturday untouched.
Georgia, Texas and Alabama all fell, with two of those losses coming at home, and the league no longer has an unbeaten team. With a nine-game conference schedule in place, the path through the SEC is only getting harder, and this week’s carnage made that plain.
The rankings also put a spotlight on two first-year head coaches who have already turned their programs into surprises. UCLA checked in at No. 9, while Kentucky landed at No. 12, and both teams have surged under new leadership.
Bob Chesney has UCLA at 6-0 after taking over a program that went 3-9 last season and lost DeShaun Foster after just three games. The Bruins’ 17-7 win over Wisconsin, even without quarterback Nico Iamaleava, was the kind of result that makes the top-10 ranking feel earned. It’s UCLA’s first time in the top 10 since 2022.
Kentucky’s climb has been just as striking. Will Stein inherited a team that finished 5-7 in Mark Stoops’ final season, but the Wildcats are now 6-1 in the SEC with wins over LSU, Oklahoma and Texas A&M. They could still keep rising with Vanderbilt next on the schedule.
Here’s how the Week 8 AP Top 25 shook out:
- Miami (40), 6-0
- BYU (20), 6-0
- Ohio State (9), 6-1
- Notre Dame, 6-1
- Georgia, 6-1
- Indiana, 6-1
- Ole Miss, 5-1
- Texas Tech (1), 6-0
- UCLA, 6-0
- Utah, 6-0
- Tennessee, 6-1
- Kentucky, 6-1
- Alabama, 5-2
- Houston, 6-1
- Iowa, 5-1
- USC, 6-1
- Wake Forest, 6-1
- LSU, 5-2
- Texas, 4-2
- Florida, 5-2
- Boise State, 5-1
- Missouri, 5-2
- SMU, 5-1
- Northwestern, 5-1
- Arizona, 5-1
In Other News...
Miami Survived FSU But The Ending Will Fuel Rivalry Debate
Miamis win over Florida State had all the ingredients of a classic rivalry game, from the points to the tension to the kind of late drama that gets replayed for years. The Hurricanes came away with a 43-35 victory, but the closing minutes became the main talking point after a holding penalty on Florida States Xavier Chaplin wiped out what would have been a game-tying touchdown catch by Micahi Danzy.
What followed only added to the frustration in Tallahassee, as the Seminoles Hail Mary on the next play was ruled an interception after review. ESPN rules analyst Steve Shaw backed the decision, but that is unlikely to quiet the debate anytime soon, especially in a rivalry where every close call tends to linger long after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Escaped Florida State But One Problem Should Worry Hurricanes Fans
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Still, the bigger takeaway for Hurricanes fans might be on the other side of the ball. A defense that had carried a top-ranked reputation gave up 35 points and 443 yards, including a late 75-yard touchdown that forced overtime in the first place. Miami eventually finished the job on a two-point conversion in the second overtime, but after a night like this, the standard on defense suddenly feels a little less secure. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Beat FSU But One Trouble Spot Just Got Harder To Ignore
The comeback win over Florida State gave Miami plenty to feel good about, especially after a double-overtime battle that ended 43-35 and showcased just how dangerous the offense can be when it finds rhythm. Malachi Toney was a constant problem for the Seminoles with 11 catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns, while Javian Mallory added 108 rushing yards and two more scores to help carry the Hurricanes through a game that demanded every bit of their depth and composure.
Still, the victory came with another concern that has been building in plain sight: the secondary. Miami dealt with multiple injuries in the defensive backfield, including Bryce Fitzgerald and Zechariah Poyser, and that kind of attrition makes an already important part of the defense even more fragile. The Hurricanes escaped with one of their biggest wins of the season, but the health of that group is shaping up as a storyline worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]