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Where Miami Football Ranks Entering Its Bye Week After Defeating Clemson

The Miami Hurricanes head into the bye week ranked as the No. 4 team in the country.
Oct 3, 2026; Clemson, South Carolina, USA;  Miami Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah (10) hands the ball off to running back Javian Mallory (21) during the fourth quarter against the Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium.  Mandatory Credit: Ashley Tumlin-Imagn Images
Oct 3, 2026; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah (10) hands the ball off to running back Javian Mallory (21) during the fourth quarter against the Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ashley Tumlin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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The Miami Hurricanes have started their third season in a row 5-0, and for that, they have been rewarded by not being moved in the AP or USA Today Coaches Polls.

Moreover, the Hurricanes won't pay attention to the rankings, with their concerns about injuries more than anything else.

Miami ranks No. 4 in the country, but the positive news is that the ACC has added more teams to the poll. Even if Wake Forest hasn't been ranked yet, they are still one of the best teams in the league, behind Miami. Pitt enters the rankings after defeating Virginia Tech on the road but lost its quarterback for the year.

SMU remains ranked at No. 24.

Nevertheless, the Hurricanes are happy with the win and getting another road win.

It’s an awesome win for our program, getting on the road," Head coach Mario Cristobal said after the Clemson victory. "Three straight conference road games for us. Started really, really fast and put a lot of pressure on them. Could have started a little bit faster, cost ourselves with an emotion penalty that could have put us in real command of the game, but overcame a lot of injuries. Defense really became physical, particularly in the second half. Only allowed six points in the first half, missed a lot of big plays in the second half that led to their touchdown.

Miami Hurricanes Head Coach Mario Cristobal during the fourth quarter in a game with Clemson at Memorial Stadium Saturday, Oc
Miami Hurricanes Head Coach Mario Cristobal during the fourth quarter in a game with Clemson at Memorial Stadium Saturday, October 3, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"But I felt we really put a lot of pressure on their quarterback, knocked around the running game, and then I think we had to, the first half play count was 25 Miami, 47 Clemson, and then we flipped the script on that. And this was good because four years ago we came here when we had just got to Miami, with a roster that wasn't what it was supposed to be, and we got our faces kicked in. So it was good to come out today and play good football and to give ourselves a chance to control our own destiny

AP POLLS — Week 5

Rank

Team

Record

First-Place Votes

1.

Texas

4-0

61

2.

Georgia

5-0

6

3.

Notre Dame

5-0

0

4.

Miami

5-0

2

5.

Ohio State

4-1

0

6.

Alabama

5-0

0

7.

Indiana

5-0

1

8.

BYU

5-0

0

9.

Ole Miss

3-1

0

10.

LSU

4-1

0

11.

Texas Tech

5-0

0

12.

Utah

4-0

0

13.

Oregon

4-1

0

14.

Missouri

4-1

0

15.

Tennessee

4-1

0

16.

Florida

4-1

0

17.

Mississippi State

4-1

0

18.

Oklahoma State

4-1

0

19.

USC

5-1

0

20.

Iowa

4-1

0

21.

SMU

3-1

0

22.

Houston

4-1

0

23.

Boise State

4-1

0

24.

SMU

4-1

0

25.

Pitt

5-0

0

Others Receiving Votes: Kentucky 160, Wake Forest 142, Wisconsin 88, Duke 83, Northwestern 59, Nebraska 48, Minnesota 19, Arizona 19, James Madison 12, North Dakota State 7

USA Today Coaches Polls — Week 5

Rank

Team

Record

First-Place Votes

1.

Texas

4-0

61

2.

Georgia

5-0

6

3.

Notre Dame

5-0

0

4.

Miami

5-0

2

5.

Indiana

5-0

0

6.

Ohio State

4-1

0

7.

Alabama

5-0

1

8.

BYU

5-0

0

9.

Texas Tech

5-0

0

10.

LSU

4-1

0

11.

Ole Miss

4-1

0

12.

Utah

4-0

0

13.

Oregon

4-1

0

14.

Tennessee

4-1

0

15.

Florida

4-1

0

16.

Missouri

4-1

0

17.

USC

4-1

0

18.

Iowa

4-1

0

19.

Houston

5-1

0

20.

Mississippi State

4-1

0

21.

SMU

4-1

0

22.

UCLA

4-1

0

23.

Duke

4-1

0

24.

Pitt

4-1

0

25.

Kentucky

5-0

0

Schools Dropped Out: No. 22 Penn State; No. 24 Michigan.

Others Receiving Votes: Oklahoma State 187; Boise State 161; Nebraska 117; Wake Forest 87; Northwestern 70; Wisconsin 47; James Madison 42; Minnesota 40; North Dakota State 29; Arizona 15; New Mexico 7; Baylor 3; Virginia Tech 1; Texas A&M 1; Kansas State 1.


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Published
Justice Sandle
JUSTICE SANDLE

Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.

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