Sports · NEWS EXPLAINER
Miami rises to No. 1 and BYU to No. 2 after a historic AP Top 25 shake-up
Five of the previous top seven teams lost, every ranked position changed, and the new top three are separated by just 48 points. Here is what the October 18 poll means—and what it does not decide.
Miami moved to No. 1 and BYU to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 released October 18, 2026, after a weekend in which five of the previous top seven teams lost. The AP said it was the first such collapse in the poll’s 90-year history, and every position in the Top 25 changed.
The margin at the top is unusually tight. Miami collected 40 first-place votes and 1,697 points, BYU received 20 first-place votes and 1,675 points, and Ohio State drew nine first-place votes and 1,649 points. Only 48 points separate first from third.
What changed at the top
Miami rose from No. 3 to No. 1, BYU surged six places from No. 8 to No. 2, and Ohio State slipped to No. 3. The AP tally gave Miami 40 of 70 first-place votes, BYU 20 and Ohio State nine. The remaining first-place vote did not change the new order, which is separated by only 48 total poll points from first to third.
Why Miami is No. 1
Miami stayed unbeaten by defeating Florida State 43-35 in double overtime. That result, combined with losses above it, lifted the Hurricanes to their first No. 1 AP ranking since 2002. The ranking measures voter judgment on the current season; it is not a declaration that Miami has secured a postseason seed.
Why BYU climbed to No. 2
BYU beat Notre Dame 28-24 to remain unbeaten. The official recap records a late go-ahead touchdown and a defensive stop that closed the game. The win moved the Cougars to their highest AP position since the 1984 national-title season and made them the Big 12’s top-ranked team.
Why the poll moved so dramatically
The AP reported that five of the previous top seven teams lost, a first in the poll’s 90-year history. The fallout reached every slot in the Top 25 rather than only the leading group, so this edition is best read as a broad reset of voter order—not simply two teams trading places.
What to watch next
The 22-point margin between Miami and BYU is small enough that future results can quickly change the order. Readers should also keep the AP poll separate from the College Football Playoff process: the AP ranking is a long-running media poll, while the playoff selection committee produces the rankings that determine the postseason bracket.
