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...
Notre Dames BYU Loss Just Took On Even Bigger Meaning
UCLAs unbeaten start under first-year coach Bob Chesney has become one of the early surprises of the season, and the Bruins are suddenly looking like a real Big Ten contender. For Notre Dame, that matters because the Irish loss to BYU already had ripple effects, and the Cougars rsum has only gotten stronger as the season has gone on.
BYUs upset win over Notre Dame is carrying even more weight now, with the Cougars climbing in the rankings and improving their playoff case. Oregons uneven season has also added another wrinkle to the national picture, especially after the loss of quarterback Dante Moore left the Ducks in a tougher spot and made the path to the postseason even less certain. [Read more 🡒]
Marcus Freemans Notre Dame Pitch To Leonard Moore Said Everything
Marcus Freemans recruiting pitch to Leonard Moores family was refreshingly direct, and it fit the way he has built Notre Dames roster. Dr. Leonard Moore, Leonards father, said Freeman leaned into the schools academic demands and made it clear that nothing about the football path would come easy, including the fight for snaps. It was less about selling comfort than selling a challenge, and that candor clearly resonated enough for Moore to commit to the Irish.
Once he arrived, Moore did not have to wait long to validate the fit. He was in the starting lineup by Week 5 of his freshman season and began making his presence felt on defense, the kind of early impact that usually comes only when a player is ready for the expectations Freeman puts in front of him. The larger point in the recruiting story is obvious enough: Notre Dame is not promising shortcuts, and Freeman is not pretending otherwise, which may be exactly why players like Moore are buying in. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dames Defensive Approach Just Became A Bigger Concern
Notre Dames defensive questions did not come out of nowhere, but they got louder after the recent loss to BYU. Defensive coordinator Chris Ash took heat for a cautious game plan, and the Cougars noticed it too, with running back Preston Rex describing the Irish look as vanilla while pointing out the lack of pressure on their quarterback. It was the kind of performance that invites second-guessing, especially when a defense appears slow to react to what an opponent is throwing at it.
For Notre Dame, the bigger concern is not just one rough night, but whether the approach can hold up against different styles in the weeks ahead. The Irish struggled to adjust to BYUs varied offensive tactics, and the schedule does not offer much room to sort it out quietly. Navy and Miami are next, which means Notre Dame has to find a sharper, more disruptive answer fast if it wants to avoid letting this become a pattern. [Read more 🡒]