Miami Jumps to No. 1 in Coaches Poll as 5 Top-10 Teams Lose

Q: Did Miami earn No. 1, or did Week 7 chaos simply leave the Hurricanes standing last among college football’s contenders?

Miami deserves No. 1, but only in the limited sense that this week produced no flawless alternative. The Hurricanes are 6-0 and did what top teams ultimately must do: survive. They won on the road against Florida State, stayed unbeaten, and were the highest-ranked contender left standing after No. 1 Georgia lost at home to Auburn and No. 2 Notre Dame fell at BYU. In a poll built on weekly results, that is enough to justify the move. But Miami’s claim is not overwhelming. The Hurricanes were 21-point favorites and needed double overtime plus a controversial ending to escape a flawed Florida State team. That is not the profile of a clear-cut national bully. If voters were ranking purely by best win of the weekend, BYU had the strongest case after beating Notre Dame 28-24. If they were ranking by résumé strength and road quality, Ohio State also had a serious argument after winning 19-15 at Indiana and ending the Hoosiers’ 22-game streak. What elevated Miami was the combination of remaining unbeaten and avoiding the disaster that hit nearly everyone else. Georgia, Notre Dame, Texas and Alabama all lost; Indiana fell to Ohio State. In that sense, Week 7 chaos absolutely helped clear the path. So Miami earned the ranking under the logic of the poll, but the Hurricanes did not seize it with dominance. They look more like the best survivor of a chaotic Saturday than an undisputed No. 1.

3 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Oct 18

Miami climbed to No. 1 for the first time this season after improving to 6-0 and surviving Florida State on an interception of a last-play Hail Mary.
Five top-10 losses reshaped Week 8: BYU rose to No. 3 after beating then-No. 2 Notre Dame, while Georgia fell from No. 1 to No. 4 after a 27-24 home loss to Auburn.
Ohio State moved up to No. 2 after ending Indiana's 22-game winning streak on the road, though the Buckeyes lost quarterback Julian Sayin to injury.
Texas tumbled from No. 6 to No. 18 after losing to Florida, and Alabama slipped to No. 13 after a 26-10 defeat at Tennessee, which moved up to No. 11.
Florida entered the poll at No. 24 and Oregon at No. 25, underscoring how a chaotic Saturday widened the race for conference titles and CFP positioning.