Will There Be a New No. 1 Team in the College Football Rankings This Week?

For the fifth time this college football season, pollsters are forced to make a major decision at the very top of the rankings.

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The short answer is yes — there will be a new No. 1 team in the college football rankings this week. Both in the AP top 25 poll and in the selection committee room.

For the fifth time in the 2026 college football season, pollsters will be forced to radically reassess who belongs where in the national rankings, including at the very top.

So long, Miami. But who takes the No. 1 position this week?

Miami’s Undefeated Run Comes to an End

FOR LOU.#GoIrish☘️ | @Gatorade pic.twitter.com/j1ldVVSjwc

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) November 8, 2026

For the first time in three weeks, the top spot in the college football rankings is changing hands after No. 1 Miami fell on the road. 

In a high-stakes Saturday night showdown under the eyes of Touchdown Jesus, Notre Dame, ranked No. 4 in the AP poll and No. 11 by the playoff selectors, defeated the previously undefeated Hurricanes, 31-24.

How the Irish Controlled the Night

Notre Dame dictated the early tempo, building a 17-3 halftime lead behind efficient quarterback play from CJ Carr, who finished with 319 yards and three touchdowns. 

Miami, missing star receiver Malachi Toney, struggled to find rhythm early but mounted a determined second-half comeback. 

Darian Mensah threw three touchdown passes, including two to Cooper Barkate, and pulled the Hurricanes within one score late. 

Notre Dame answered with a critical fourth-down conversion and a short touchdown run by Nolan James Jr. to restore a two-score cushion, then held firm in the final seconds.

The Fallout for the Hurricanes

The loss drops Miami from the top of both the AP top 25 and the first College Football Playoff rankings released earlier in the week. 

The Hurricanes entered the game as the consensus No. 1 with an 8-0 record. Their first defeat opens the door for a significant shakeup at the top.

Who Claims the New No. 1 Spot?

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Two teams stand in the strongest position. Georgia, which sat at No. 2 in both the AP poll and CFP rankings entering the weekend, has the cleaner path after easily handling their own business against Ole Miss in a 42-7 rout. 

That dominant victory would give the Bulldogs the combination of prior ranking, strength of schedule, and continuity that AP voters and the selection committee often reward when the previous No. 1 team falls.

Notre Dame, however, has delivered the signature win of the weekend. 

Beating the top-ranked team on a national stage gives the Irish a compelling argument, particularly in the AP poll where they were already ranked fourth. 

The CFP committee had Notre Dame lower (No. 11) heading into the week, so a jump all the way to No. 1 would represent a more dramatic leap. 

Still, quality wins matter, and few results this season carry more weight than a home victory over the previous No. 1.

What Comes Next in the Rankings?

When the new rankings are released, expect either Georgia or Notre Dame to sit atop the polls. 

Miami’s loss has guaranteed change at the top. The only remaining question is which program benefits most from the Hurricanes’ first defeat of the season.

More: College Football AP Top 25 Teams Moving Up, Down in New Rankings