Post-Spring College Football Rankings Feature Surprising No. 1 Team

When CBS Sports analyst Brad Crawford released his post-spring college football top 25 rankings on Sunday, he didn't go with the conventional choice. He went with Miami.

The Hurricanes, fresh off a national championship game appearance just four months ago, landed at No. 1 overall in Crawford's list, edging out Texas for the top spot. That's a significant statement in a landscape where Ohio State, Oregon and Notre Dame are also in the conversation heading into 2026.

Crawford has been a consistent Miami believer throughout this offseason. Back in February, he projected the Hurricanes as the No. 1 overall seed in his early 2026 CFP bracket, and his latest rankings only reinforce that confidence. This is not a one-off take. It's a thesis.

Why Crawford has Miami ranked No. 1

The case for Miami at the top isn't without nuance. The Hurricanes lost some significant pieces after going 13-3, including quarterback Carson Beck, pass rushers Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor, and offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa. But what they brought in through the transfer portal is drawing national attention.

Duke transfer quarterback Darian Mensah passed his first major test in Coral Gables. He threw three touchdown passes during the spring game's live scrimmage, connecting on a 29-yarder to Cooper Barkate, a 33-yarder to Daylyn Upshaw and a five-yard score to Cam Vaughn.

Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney (10) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Indiana Hoosiers during the College Football Playoff National Championship game. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Afterward, Mensah sounded like a quarterback already at home in the program. "It's awesome to go out and show everybody, all our fans, what we've been working on," he said.

Mensah's arrival, along with Barkate and former South Carolina slot receiver Vandrevius Jacobs, gives offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson flexibility and eases the burden on Malachi Toney, who set a single-season program record with 109 receptions in 2025.

Miami's path from No. 1 to the playoff

The post-spring rankings are one thing. Staying at the top by November is another, and Crawford knows that better than anyone. Miami is just 1-4 in its last five ACC games decided by eight points or fewer, a pattern that has kept the Hurricanes out of the ACC Championship Game before.

The Hurricanes also face an early road trip to Clemson on Oct. 3, a pivotal in-conference game. If Miami drops that contest, winning the ACC becomes significantly harder.

1) Miami
2) Texas
3) Oregon
4) Ohio State
5) Notre Dame
6) Indiana
7) Georgia
8) LSU
9) Ole Miss
10) Texas Tech
11) Alabama
12) USC
13) Texas A&M
14) Michigan
15) BYU
16) Oklahoma
17) SMU
18) Washington
19) Louisville
20) Utah
21) Houston
22) Florida
23) Iowa
24) Virginia… pic.twitter.com/B9VDN215WK
— Brad Crawford (@BCrawford247) May 3, 2026

His best-case scenario for Miami is a 12-0 regular season, while his worst-case scenario lands at 10-2, the same record the Hurricanes posted in each of the last two regular seasons. That floor is remarkably high, which is exactly why Crawford feels comfortable putting them at No. 1 now.

The defensive front remains the biggest question after losing Bain and Mesidor, but Missouri transfer Damon Wilson, along with Justin Scott and Jarquez Carter, consistently disrupted plays during the spring game, offering an early sign that the unit may not fall off as sharply as some expect. Mario Cristobal has accumulated too much depth for that.

The Miami Hurricanes appear at No. 6 in my latest post-spring top 25 college football rankings.

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