Five top‑seven AP poll teams lose as Miami eyes No 1 spot

Five of the top‑seven AP Top 25 teams lost on Saturday, the first such sweep in poll history, putting Miami in position to move to No 1.

By Felo News Desk · Published Sun, 18 Oct 2026 11:46:26 GMT

On Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, five of the seven teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 lost in regular‑season games, a first‑time occurrence in the poll’s history that began in 1936. The defeats cleared a path for No. 3 Miami to claim the No 1 spot after a 43‑35 double‑overtime victory over rival Florida State.

What happened

In the Saturday slate, No. 1 Georgia fell to Auburn 27‑24, No. 2 Notre Dame lost to BYU 28‑24, No. 5 Indiana was beaten by Ohio State 19‑15, No. 6 Alabama dropped to an unranked opponent, and No. 7 Texas suffered a loss as well. The exact opponent for Texas was not specified in the reports. Miami, unbeaten at 6‑0, defeated Florida State 43‑35 in a double‑overtime thriller, positioning the Hurricanes to move up to No. 1 for the first time since 2002.

What the reports add

The Independent noted that the eight‑team loss total on the day set a new record, and that it was the first occasion since 2012 that both Nos. 1 and 2 lost in the regular season. It also highlighted that Texas and Georgia had each lost to unranked teams in consecutive weeks, a rarity not seen since 1990. The New York Post cited Sportradar data, stating the last comparable event occurred on Jan. 2, 1989, when five of the top eight teams lost. Both outlets reported that the upset slate was driven largely by SEC teams, with Georgia, Alabama and Texas among the favorites that fell.

What was said

The Independent did not include direct quotations. The New York Post described Auburn head coach Alex Golesh’s reaction to the Georgia upset as a “celebratory yell,” and noted BYU fans storming the field after their win over Notre Dame, as captured in an AP photo.

How it came about

Earlier in the season, Felo News covered the College Football Playoff expansion to a 24‑team format for 2027 (see article) and the debate over playoff size voiced by Nick Saban (see article). Those discussions set the backdrop for the heightened stakes of this week’s poll shake‑up, as teams jockey for positioning ahead of the upcoming playoff selections.

Key facts

Five of the top seven AP Top 25 teams lost on Oct. 17, 2026 (independent.co.uk)
It was the first time Nos. 1 and 2 lost on the same regular‑season day since 2012 (independent.co.uk)
Miami beat Florida State 43‑35 in double overtime, positioning them to move to No 1 (nypost.com)
Georgia lost to Auburn 27‑24; Notre Dame lost to BYU 28‑24; Indiana lost to Ohio State 19‑15 (independent.co.uk)
The last comparable loss sweep occurred on Jan. 2, 1989, when five of the top eight teams fell (nypost.com)