MIAMI, FL, Nov. 4, 2026 — For the first time in program history, the University of Miami sits at No. 1 in the College Football Playoff rankings.
The CFP selection committee released its first rankings of the 2026 season Tuesday night, putting the 8-0 Hurricanes ahead of No. 2 Georgia (7-1), No. 3 Utah (8-0) and No. 4 Indiana (8-1). The rankings count games played through Saturday, Oct. 31.
According to the CFP, Miami is the 11th program ever to be ranked No. 1 by the committee and the first from the ACC since Clemson in 2017. The first CFP ranking was released in 2014, and this is the 73rd edition.
How the Canes got here
Miami is one of three undefeated teams left in the Football Bowl Subdivision, NCAA.com reported. Its only two close games this season came against Florida State and North Carolina, according to NCAA.com's Stan Becton.
The committee says it judges each team's full body of work rather than any single number. It uses game video, data and conference input, and when teams look similar it weighs strength of schedule, head-to-head results, results against common opponents and factors such as injuries, according to the CFP.
What No. 1 is worth right now
Under this season's format, the four highest-ranked teams get the top four seeds and a first-round bye, whether or not they win their conference, NCAA.com reported. If the season ended today, Miami would be the top seed.
NCAA.com's bracket based on the current rankings shows Miami facing the winner of No. 9 BYU at No. 8 UCLA in the quarterfinals. That projection will change every week until the final rankings and the official bracket come out on Sunday, Dec. 6.
The CFP's own history shows how much can change. Thirteen teams have opened at No. 1 in the committee's first rankings since 2014, and five of them stayed on top in every ranking through Selection Day, according to the CFP. Two of those first-week No. 1 teams went on to win the national title: Alabama in 2020 and Georgia in 2021. Eleven of the 12 CFP champions started in the top four.
Florida is in, and a big week is ahead
Florida (5-3) is No. 24, one of 10 SEC teams in the top 25. Florida State isn't ranked. The only other ACC team in the top 25 is No. 16 Wake Forest.
Miami's first game as No. 1 is a big one: the Hurricanes play at No. 11 Notre Dame on Saturday, one of seven ranked-versus-ranked games NCAA.com listed for this week. Notre Dame is the last team in the current projected field, so the result could shake up both ends of the bracket.
Other ranked matchups this weekend include No. 2 Georgia at No. 10 Ole Miss, No. 9 BYU at No. 3 Utah and No. 5 Alabama at No. 14 LSU, according to NCAA.com.
Other firsts in the rankings
Utah's No. 3 spot is its highest CFP ranking ever (its previous best was No. 5), Kentucky's No. 6 is a program high (previous best No. 9), and Houston's No. 17 tops its previous best of No. 18, the CFP said.
Boise State (7-1) is No. 25, which makes it the highest-ranked team from outside the four biggest conferences and, for now, the projected No. 12 seed, NCAA.com reported. Ohio State (6-2) is No. 12 and would be the first team left out.
What's next
The committee meets again Nov. 9-10, and the next rankings come out Tuesday, Nov. 10, at about 9 p.m. ET on ESPN, the CFP said. Selection Day is Dec. 6. The first round is Dec. 18-19 on campus sites, and the national championship game is Jan. 25, 2027, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV. The semifinals are the Capital One Orange Bowl on Jan. 14 and the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Jan. 15.
Five more rankings stand between Miami and Selection Day, starting with Saturday's trip to South Bend.
Sources: College Football Playoff; NCAA.com rankings; NCAA.com bracket.
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