Hurricanes Move Three Spots Up in Coaches Poll to No. 7, Highest Ranking Since 2024

Miami Hurricanes have climbed back to the top of college football rankings. After its Week 1 victory, the team jumped three positions to No. 7 in the latest USA Today Coaches Poll, released a few hours ago, which is the program’s highest ranking in the poll since late Nov, 2024.

The leap comes after a grueling 27-24 victory over Notre Dame which coincidentally had been No. 6 previously on August 31 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

There were some other prominent shifts that saw Ohio State rise to No. 1 following the downfall of former top-ranked Texas, who dropped to No. 6 after losing, but remained ahead of Miami.
Penn State surged to No. 2, Georgia ascended to No. 3, and LSU rose five spots to No. 4 following its victory over Clemson.

Oregon rounded out the top five at No. 5. These movements are indicative of the tenuousness of early-season polls, where excellent performances make a huge difference in perceptions.

Miami’s well-rounded offense and defensive abilities were on display with the match against Notre Dame.

🚨BREAKING🚨: The Miami Hurricanes rise five spots to No. 5 in the @AP_Top25 Poll as they head into week 2 of the 2025 college football season.

• The Hurricanes are ranked inside the Top 5 of the AP Poll for the first time since November 3, 2024. pic.twitter.com/hjKAqQeepC

— Geo Milian (@GeoMilian) September 2, 2025

Redshirt freshman quarterback Carson Beck, in his first game playing at Alabama after transferring from Georgia, was 20-of-30 passing for 205 yards and two touchdowns.

True freshman Malachi Toney also became a breakthrough sensation with six catches for 82 yards and touchdown reception that contributed to an early lead.

Running back Marty Brown contributed a 5-yard TD run, and transfer kicker Carter Davis put it out of reach with a 47-yard field goal with just over one minute remaining until the final whistle.

Miami pressured the Fighting Irish 324 to 314 total yards, limiting freshman QB CJ Carr to 19 of 30 attempts for 221 yards, two touchdowns, a pick, and a rushing touchdown. The victory broke an eight-game losing streak by the Hurricanes against top-10 teams that had been going on since the teams last played each other.

The vote was not without controversy, however. Texas, 0-1 following a humbling defeat to Ohio State, retained No. 6 over unbeaten Hurricanes, and eyebrows were raised. And the fall after losing involved Notre Dame all the way down to only No. 9, and Clemson to No. 8. So, in a sense, preseason expectations really did have an impact on the poll because on-the-field results started restoring the ranking.

This win puts Miami firmly in the running for the new 12-team College Football Playoff. Since the ACC lacks a front-runner early on, the Hurricanes can compete for the conference championship if they maintain their fire.

The upcoming contests against Bethune-Cookman on Sept. 6 and USF on Sept. 13 are opportunities to find rhythm prior to the more rigorous challenges like Florida on Sept. 20 and Florida State on Oct. 4. Hurricane’s success in this contest relies humbly on consistency and health. Beck’s first game indicates that the offense possesses a consistent hand, and the defense’s heroics can set the stage for the season.