For the first time in nearly 24 years, the Miami Hurricanes are the No. 1 team in America.
Following a dramatic 43-35 double-overtime victory over rival Florida State, the undefeated Hurricanes jumped two spots from No. 3 to No. 1 in the latest AP Top 25 Poll, released Sunday afternoon.
Miami received 40 first-place votes, narrowly edging No. 2 BYU and No. 3 Ohio State. The historic jump marks the first time the Canes have occupied the top spot since the conclusion of the 2002 season, when Miami competed for the National Championship against Ohio State.
For Mario Cristobal and company, the climb to No. 1 has been years in the making.
Rivalry Thriller At Hard Rock
Saturday night’s matchup against Florida State was anything but comfortable.
After entering the fourth quarter trailing 21-14, Miami rallied behind Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney, eventually forcing overtime in front of a packed Hard Rock Stadium.
Mensah finished with 326 passing yards and three touchdowns, while Toney continued his remarkable sophomore campaign with 11 receptions for 154 yards and two scores.
561’s Finest and Freshman Javian Mallory also delivered another impressive performance, rushing for 108 yards and two touchdowns, including a crucial score in the first overtime.
But the biggest moment came in double overtime.
Mensah connected with Toney for a three-yard touchdown before the sophomore phenom found Cooper Barkate on a two-point conversion. Miami’s defense ultimately sealed the victory when Bryce Fitzgerald intercepted Florida State’s final pass attempt.
It wasn’t Miami’s cleanest performance, but rivalry games rarely are.
The Hurricanes survived, improved to 6-0 and kept their National Championship aspirations intact.
Chaos Across College Football
Miami’s jump to No. 1 came following one of the wildest weekends in recent college football history.
Five of the nation’s top seven teams suffered losses, completely reshaping the national rankings.
Previously top-ranked Georgia fell 27-24 to Auburn, while No. 2 Notre Dame suffered a 28-24 defeat against BYU. Texas, Alabama and Indiana also dropped their respective matchups, opening the door for significant movement across the top ten.
Miami took full advantage.
The Hurricanes collected 40 of the 70 available first-place votes, becoming the first ACC program to reach No. 1 since Clemson in 2020.
Through six games, Miami has defeated Stanford, FAMU, Wake Forest, Central Michigan, Clemson and Florida State.
Now, the Canes sit atop college football.
The Target Is On Miami’s Back
With the No. 1 ranking comes an entirely different level of expectation.
Miami has already demonstrated its ability to dominate opponents, but Saturday’s narrow victory over Florida State showed that the Hurricanes still have areas to improve.
The defense surrendered 305 passing yards, while Miami’s offense struggled with consistency throughout the second half. Those mistakes will become increasingly costly as the Hurricanes move deeper into ACC play.
Still, Miami continues finding ways to win.
Mensah remains firmly in the Heisman conversation, Toney has developed into one of the country’s most electrifying playmakers, and the Hurricanes have proven capable of responding when adversity strikes.
Next up is Pittsburgh, as Miami returns to Hard Rock Stadium looking to protect its undefeated record and newly earned No. 1 ranking.
For years, Miami fans have waited for the Hurricanes to return to the national spotlight.
Now, the Canes aren’t just part of the conversation. They’re leading it.
6-0. No. 1 in America. The U is back on top.
