For the first time in three weeks, the Miami Hurricanes are no longer the No. 1 team in America.
Following a disappointing 31-24 defeat to Notre Dame in South Bend, the Hurricanes dropped four spots from No. 1 to No. 5 in the latest AP Top 25 Poll, released Sunday afternoon.
Miami now sits at 8-1 overall and 6-0 in ACC play, trailing No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Utah, No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 4 UCLA. The Canes received 1,430 points in Sunday’s poll after entering the weekend with 62 first-place votes.
For Mario Cristobal and company, Saturday marked the first major setback of what has otherwise been a remarkable 2026 campaign.
A Tough Night In South Bend
Saturday night was supposed to be another opportunity for Miami to solidify its position atop college football.
Instead, the Hurricanes found themselves playing catch-up for much of the evening.
Notre Dame jumped out to a commanding 24-3 advantage in the third quarter behind quarterback CJ Carr, who finished with 319 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Miami’s offense struggled to establish consistency early, but the Hurricanes refused to go away quietly.
Darian Mensah rallied Miami with three second-half touchdown passes, cutting the deficit to just seven points and giving the Canes an opportunity to complete an improbable comeback.
Despite ultimately falling 31-24, Miami demonstrated its ability to respond against one of the nation’s premier programs, even without its most explosive offensive weapon.
Life Without Malachi Toney
Perhaps the biggest storyline entering South Bend was the absence of sophomore phenom Malachi Toney.
Toney has been the centerpiece of Miami’s explosive passing attack throughout the season, making his absence a significant challenge for Shannon Dawson and the Hurricanes offense.
However, Miami’s receiving corps answered the call.
Despite struggling early, Mensah and company found their rhythm in the second half, producing three touchdown drives and nearly erasing a 21-point deficit against one of the country’s most talented defenses.
With Toney sidelined, Miami was forced to distribute the football across its remaining playmakers, demonstrating the depth and versatility of an offense that has relied heavily on its sophomore superstar.
The Hurricanes certainly missed Toney’s explosiveness, but Saturday proved this offense is capable of producing against elite competition without him.
With the Canes already dealing with season-ending injuries to CharMar Brown and Joshua Moore, the performance provided an encouraging glimpse into Miami’s offensive depth.
Mensah’s Heisman Hopes
While Miami’s undefeated season came to an end, Darian Mensah’s Heisman Trophy aspirations remain alive.
The Duke transfer entered Saturday as one of the nation’s premier quarterbacks, having orchestrated one of the most efficient passing attacks in college football throughout the opening eight games.
Against Notre Dame, Mensah faced arguably his toughest challenge yet.
Despite a difficult opening half, the Hurricanes quarterback responded with three second-half touchdown passes, nearly engineering a remarkable comeback in South Bend.
The loss undoubtedly complicates Mensah’s Heisman campaign, particularly with several other candidates continuing to produce on undefeated teams.
However, his ability to keep Miami competitive without Toney demonstrated the leadership and composure that have defined his first season in Coral Gables.
With three regular-season games remaining, Mensah still has opportunities to strengthen his case and potentially lead Miami into the ACC Championship Game.
The Heisman race is far from over.
Still In The National Championship Conversation
Despite the four-spot drop, Miami remains firmly positioned among college football’s elite.
Georgia reclaimed the No. 1 ranking following a dominant 42-7 victory over Ole Miss, while undefeated Utah climbed to No. 2. Notre Dame jumped to No. 3 following its victory over Miami, with UCLA rounding out the top four.
More importantly, Miami still controls its path toward the ACC Championship Game. The Canes remain undefeated in conference play, and their lone loss came against a nationally ranked Notre Dame program outside the ACC. One loss doesn’t erase eight victories.
Miami has already demonstrated its ability to dominate opponents, win difficult road matchups and compete against some of the nation’s most talented programs.
The Road Ahead
Miami returns to Hard Rock Stadium next Saturday for a homecoming matchup against Duke, looking to get back in the win column before closing out the regular season against Virginia Tech and Boston College.
The Hurricanes no longer have the luxury of being undefeated, but their National Championship aspirations remain very much alive.
Getting Toney healthy, maintaining offensive consistency and allowing Mensah to continue building his Heisman résumé will be crucial as Miami approaches the final stretch.
Saturday’s loss was disappointing, but the Hurricanes showed they can compete without their biggest offensive weapon.
