By New Year’s Day, after a Texas two-step in the playoff, the 10th-ranked Hurricanes (12-2, CFP No. 10 seed) were a win away from a chance to play for a national championship in their home stadium.

“It means everything to this team,” quarterback Carson Beck said. “This team has constantly battled through adversity, constantly fought. … We’ve banded together as one. We’ve shown unity. We’ve shown connection. We’ve shown that we’re a family.”

They also have proven to be well-deserving of that at-large CFP berth they got without an Atlantic Coast Conference title. Miami made its playoff debut with a first-round win at No. 7 Texas A&M, then was back in the Lone Star State 11 days later to beat defending national champion Ohio State 24-14 without a penalty in the Cotton Bowl quarterfinal on New Year’s Eve.

The Hurricanes play a CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8 against Ole Miss (13-1, CFP seed No. 6) after the Rebels won the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal 39-34 on Thursday night over No. 3 seed Georgia, Beck’s former team. Beck was part of back-to-back national titles with the Bulldogs in 2021 and ’22 before he was a starter.

This year’s national championship game is Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium.

Miami has won six games in a row since that 26-20 setback at SMU on Nov. 1, which was its second loss in three games after a 5-0 start propelled it to a No. 2 AP ranking that was its highest since 2017.

“It was a low point. And we quickly, we got together because we have really good people, and we work really, really, really hard. And we weren’t achieving the results that we set out to have, and that’s difficult. That’s a punch in the gut,” Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal said. “Y’all saw the 5% chance we had to make the CFP. (Players) saw it.”

A convoluted tiebreaker left Miami out of the ACC championship game while five-loss Duke became the league champion and then was left out of the 12-team playoff field when higher-ranked Group of Five champions Tulane and James Madison got automatic berths.

Keionte Scott, a transfer from Auburn, returned an interception 72 yards for a touchdown to give Miami a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter of the Cotton Bowl.

“I could just tell, when I first got here, the program was just very serious about what they were trying to get done. You could tell everybody in the room had their eyes on one goal,” Scott said. “I feel like Coach Cristobal does a good job of keeping us focused and keeping us on task. … We’re never satisfied.”

Past champions

The last national title for “The U” was in 2001, which was their fifth; Cristobal was a standout offensive tackle for the Hurricanes in their 1989 and 1991 championship seasons. The Hurricanes were denied a repeat championship in 2002 with a double-overtime loss to Ohio State in their last Fiesta Bowl appearance.

Before receiver Michael Irvin and coach Jimmy Johnson were Super Bowl champions with the Dallas Cowboys, the Pro Football Hall of Famers won the 1987 national title with Miami. Irvin also played a role in getting Cristobal to become a Hurricane nearly 40 years ago; he was one of the recruiting hosts on Cristobal’s official visit.

Irvin was on the sideline during the Cotton Bowl and Johnson was nearby when Cristobal acknowledged the coach during the on-field trophy presentation.

“He changed our lives, my brother and I. We were still kind of a nobody. … He offered my brother and I scholarships. My parents, may they rest in peace, they didn’t even know what a scholarship was. They’re Cuban-Americans that came over and found a way and tried to make a living,” Cristobal said. “Fast forward, almost 40 years later, and he’s out there on the sidelines supporting us. He set such a high standard. … Really proud that this team is making him proud.”

They certainly were excited, as were a Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver and a former coach who won national championships with the Hurricanes.

Scott picked off a screen pass by Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin, Carson Beck threw a touchdown pass and 10th-ranked Miami shocked the Buckeyes 24-14 on Wednesday night at the Cotton Bowl in the first College Football Playoff quarterfinal.

“I was full of emotions. … That was a pretty cool moment,” said Scott, who has TD returns on both of his interceptions this season. “Just having fun. … That’s what this team relies on, man, just going out there playing free and just having fun.”

The Hurricanes (12-2, CFP No. 10 seed) have won two playoff games to get into football’s final four after needing an at-large berth to make the 12-team field, after not even playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. One more win and they will get to play for a national championship in their home stadium.

Next for Miami in coach Mario Cristobal’s fourth season is a CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8 against No. 3 seed Georgia or No. 6 seed Ole Miss, the SEC teams in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday night.

There hasn’t been a national title for “The U” since 2001, when Cristobal was a standout offensive tackle for the Hurricanes and part of his second championship there. The Hurricanes were denied a repeat the following season with a double-overtime loss in the Fiesta Bowl to Ohio State, the only other time the teams met in a bowl — and the last Miami played in that game.

“It is 100% not about me. I’m part of their team, I’m a part of that family,” Cristobal said. “It is my obligation as a former Miami Hurricane player and all the things that Miami did for my brother and I to do my best to try to provide these guys with even better opportunities so they can fulfill all the great things they are destined for.”

Before receiver Michael Irvin and coach Jimmy Johnson were Super Bowl champions with the Dallas Cowboys, they were part of the Hurricanes’ 1987 national championship. Irvin excitedly ran down the sideline while Scott was scoring for a 14-0 lead, and Johnson was nearby when acknowledged by Cristobal during the on-field trophy presentation.

Now it’s third-ranked Ohio State (12-2, CFP No. 2 seed), which went into the game as a 9 1/2-point favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook, that can’t win back-to-back national titles for the first time in program history.

The Buckeyes hadn’t played since a 13-10 loss to now-No. 1 Indiana in a Big Ten championship game matchup of undefeated teams on Dec. 6. They still got a first-round bye, then lost just like all four teams that went directly to the quarterfinal round in the inaugural 12-team playoff last season.

“We worked really hard during the last three weeks leading up to this game to come out of the gates and win the first quarter, win the first half, be ready to go,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said. “I think the guys bought into it. But at the end of the day, we didn’t get it done.”

Scott’s interception return came only 1:42 after Beck’s quick pass to Mark Fletcher Jr. out of the backfield for a 9-yard score.

Beck, who was part of Georgia’s national titles in 2021 and 2022 when Stetson Bennett was the starter, completed 19 of 26 passes for 138 yards.

When asked what stood out to him about these Hurricanes, Beck said, “Just the way that this team has responded to adversity. We knew coming into today that it wasn’t going to be easy.”

The TD throw to Fletcher, who also ran 19 times for 90 yards and was the game’s offensive MVP, was the seventh of 13 consecutive completions for Beck. That set a record in the Cotton Bowl, which was played for the 90th time.

Sayin, a freshman backup behind Will Howard for Ohio State’s championship run last season, was 22 of 35 for 287 yards with two interceptions and a TD to Jeremiah Smith. Sayin was sacked five times.

AP All-America receiver Smith, the Miami native, caught seven of those passes for 157 yards, including a 14-yard TD on a fourth down in the fourth quarter.

Carter Davis added a 49-yard field goal in the third quarter and ChaMar Brown ran for a 5-yard TD in the game’s final minute for the Hurricanes, whose 24 points were the most Ohio State gave up this season.

The takeaway

Miami: The Hurricanes have won six games in a row since an overtime loss Nov. 1 at SMU, less than 25 miles from AT&T Stadium, where the Cotton Bowl is played. They also made their CFP debut in the Lone Star State, winning 10-3 at No. 7 Texas A&M in the first round on Dec. 20.

Ohio State: All-America safety Caleb Downs, who started in the CFP for the third season in a row, became the first player to force two fumbles in a CFP game. … The Buckeyes had gone four consecutive quarters — the equivalent of a full game — until Bo Jackson’s 1-yard TD run to cap its opening drive of the second half.

Up next

Miami waits to see who it will play in the Fiesta Bowl. Ohio State is scheduled to open the the 2026 season at home against Ball State on Sept. 5.

The Canes will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl Classic, Wednesday night.

The talk is over, and the smiles were polite for 30 minutes, as Canes head coach Mario Cristobal and Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day fielded questions on Tuesday. All their answers given with an abundance of restraint ahead of their quarterfinal matchup.

“You know, we have to continue to be who we are and be aggressive. But at the same time, we have to understand we’re up against and our opponents, so we’ve got to be on our game,” said Day.

“We all understood that within the building, we’re our biggest supporters, we are our best family members, and that we’re going to find a way and to put ourselves in a situation where we could have a chance,” said Cristobal.

There were no more interviews or press conferences afterwards, just preparation, pressure and execution.

“I think the biggest thing is focusing on us, obviously, you have to prepare for your opponent, you have to prepare for what they’re going to do, and they’re a very, very talented team, right?” Said Canes quarterback Carson Beck. “They’re very well coached, they’re very disciplined, and then the talent speaks for itself, but for us, it’s about us and what we’re able to do.”

“They’re elite at every level. I’m expecting great effort, I’m expecting a hard-nosed game, hard battle, like, they fly around, so it’s going to be a great game,” said Canes running back Mark Fletcher Jr.

However, the fans making the trip to see the game live love to talk that smack.

“So my freshman year at University of Miami was the national championship game where we lost to Ohio State, so I remember that heartbreak, and we are here to revenge that this weekend, so I’m excited,” said Canes fan Tim Jones.

“We have a very good defense, we’re not going to score a lot, but we maybe don’t need to if our defense can play the way they played all year,” said Buckeyes fan Mark Price.

So, two programs, one stage. When the ball is kicked, whoever executes best wins.

“A hundred thousand deep, all rooting against you, I love that feeling, I love it, I love that, i love the adversity, I love silencing the crowd, I just love knowing that I’m in enemy territory, and there’s 100,000 of them rooting against us,” said Canes defensive linemen Akheem Mesidor.

“Puts a little bit of a chip on your shoulder, but at the end of the day, no matter what, we are going to come out and compete and play the way we’re supposed to play, be 1-0 at the end of the day and just do what you’re supposed to do,” said Canes defensive linemen Rueben Bain Jr. “But going in as the underdog, when people doubting you and don’t think you get the job done, and you get the job done, that’s the best feeling.”

The countdown to kickoff is almost over, and 7Sports will be on the sidelines inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

South Florida will host the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on New Year’s Day, where the Oregon Ducks will take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

This time, the second-seeded Buckeyes (12-1) are defending national champions as they get ready to play College Football Playoff first-timer Miami (11-2, CFP No. 10 seed) in a quarterfinal game there Wednesday night. The Cotton Bowl last January was a CFP semifinal game when Ohio State beat Texas for the third of four wins needed last postseason for a sixth AP national title.

As for the first of those appearances in North Texas two years ago, that was the last season before the CFP expanded from four to 12 teams and when it wasn’t the Cotton Bowl’s turn as one of the playoff games. The Buckeyes arrived then coming off a regular season-ending loss to rival Michigan after a 10-0 start. Their starting quarterback (Kyle McCord) had transferred and NFL-bound All-American receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. opted out of playing in what was a 14-3 loss to Missouri.

“Just more stakes than the first game I’ve ever played in here. … Now it’s a bowl game with the playoffs on the line, so it just means more,” senior receiver Carnell Tate said Monday on the field at AT&T Stadium.

“It wasn’t CFP, so I felt like the job was not accomplished. We kind of fell short of our initial goal, and then when we played here, our quarterback ended up transferring. It was a whole lot of stuff going on,” senior cornerback Davison Igbinosun said. “It was definitely a tough game. It really didn’t feel like a typical Ohio State game, and then here last year and back in the playoffs, and that was a great game.”

Ohio State hasn’t played since losing 13-10 to No. 1 Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game matchup of undefeated teams on Dec. 6, and still got a first-round bye.

Miami, which is 24 years removed from its last national title, made its CFP debut with a 10-3 win in the first round at No. 7 seed Texas A&M on Dec. 20. The Hurricanes made the 12-team playoff field even after not making the Atlantic Coast Conference title game and that league’s champ (five-loss Duke) not getting a bid.

When the Hurricanes left Dallas after a 26-20 overtime loss at SMU on Nov. 1, their second loss in three games after a 5-0 start, they weren’t even sure they would make the playoff. Now they are back in Texas for their second playoff game in a row and with another five-game winning streak.

“That was a low point for us in the season, and in that locker room, it was as simple as a decision has to be made,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said Monday. “It came down to the simplicity of taking all the clips of us in our first five games and putting it on a reel and just letting it play. No audio, no one’s talking, no nothing. Just shut the lights, remind ourselves of who we are. And there’s nothing more powerful than the power of choice.”

QBs on championship teams

Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin with Ohio State and Miami’s Carson Beck have both been part of national championship teams. Now the two most accurate FBS passers are trying to win a title as a starting quarterback.

Sayin was the Buckeyes backup last year behind Will Howard. Beck transferred to Miami after being at Georgia from 2020-24, when he was a youngster on the Bulldogs’ back-to-back national championship teams in 2021 and 2022 — he did get some late snaps in that second title game, a 65-7 romp over TCU.

The Cotton Bowl will be the first CFP game for Sayin, the sophomore who has thrown for 3,323 yards with 31 TDs and six interceptions. He has completed 78.4% of his passes (279 of 356). Beck made his first CFP start going 14-of-20 for 103 yards and a touchdown on a windy day in College Station. He has completed 74.5% of his passes (277 of 372) for 3,175 yards, 26 TDs and 10 interceptions.

Back-to-back chances

Miami’s last shot at back-to-back national championships ended in a double-overtime loss to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 3, 2003, before most of the current players were born and the only other time these teams have met in a bowl game.

Ohio State, which won the first CFP national championship at AT&T Stadium at the end of the 2014 season, is now trying to win consecutive national titles for the first time. The Buckeyes are in their seventh CFP overall, and are the only team to appear in five of the last seven — all of those since Ryan Day became their head coach.

The only other time the Hurricanes played in the Cotton Bowl was at the end of the 1990 season, their last as an independent before moving to the Big East. They beat Texas 46-3 in Cotton Bowl Stadium.

Kickoff at the Cotton Bowl looms, with the lights brighter than ever this season for the Canes’ quarterfinal matchup against Ohio State at AT&T Stadium, Wednesday night.

“I’m going to be super amped up, I know this team is going to be super amped up. I think the first time I walk on the field will be a really, really cool feeling, you know?” said Canes quarterback Carson Beck. “Just look around, take everything in, and once I do that, it’s go time.”

The Hurricanes arrived in Dallas with swagger, confidence and zero interest in playing the underdog role.

“I knew that we would get to this point, I knew that we were going to have to go through some hard times, I knew it was going to be a grind, but I believed in the process the entire time,” said Canes running back Mark Fletcher Jr. “As soon as I signed that pen to the paper, I believed in the process, trusted the process, and I’m just very, very, very grateful that we’re here.”

“The unity of this team has been founded in just really hard work, been through some real trying times and situations and adversity, and it’s been exciting watching the growth and development of our guys just galvanized throughout the process,” said Canes head coach Mario Cristobal.

The players admitted the butterflies are very real.

“It’s a game, and I love this game, and I block out the noise, I block out the crowd,” said Canes defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor. “It’s just the game I fell in love with when I was 8 years old; it’s the same thing.”

This is the best team the Canes have had in over 20 years. Wednesday night, they’ll be given a chance to remind the college football world what Miami football is all about.

The dual coaches press conference will be held Tuesday afternoon.

The team is now back in Texas, where they’ll face Ohio State in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl for the College Football Playoff quarterfinals on Wednesday night.

During the media day session, players were pretty tight-lipped, keeping key details close to the vest, but they did say they are ready for the face-off.

“I’m going to be super amped up. I know this team is going to be super amped up. I think the first time I walk on the field, it’ll be a really cool feeling. Just look around, take everything in, and once I do that, it’s go time,” said Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck.

Players said they have zero interest in playing as the underdogs.

“I knew that we would get to this point. I knew that we were going to have to go through some hard times. I knew that there was going to be a grind, but I believed in the process the entire time,” said Hurricane running back Mark Fletcher Jr. “As soon as I signed that pen to the paper, I believed in the process, trusted the process, and I’m just very grateful that we’re here.”

Coach Mario Cristobal said he wants the team focused and on task.

“The unity of this team has been founded and just really hard work, been through some real trying times and situations and adversity, and it’s been exciting watching the growth and development of our guys, just galvanized throughout the process,” he said.

Earlier in the day, the Canes settled into their hotel after their flight from Miami to Dallas. They told 7Sports they are ready to get to work.

“I had a bed seat, I slept the whole ride, so I feel like it was a good thing,” said Canes defensive lineman Anez Cooper.

While the beds are different, the preparation routine remains the same.

“We’re the same team every week — no matter who we play, where we play, what we’re playing — and we’re going to prepare the same way and be the same team, same team we’ve been all year,” said Canes defensive back Jakobe Thomas.

Miami is focused on maximizing the time before its first-ever College Football Playoff quarterfinal game. However, players admitted during the presser that despite their professional status, the nerves are still there.

“It’s a game, and I love this game, and I block out the noise, the crowd. It’s just the game I fell in love with when I was 8 years old. It’s the same thing,” said Hurricanes defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor.

The stage is set, and now is the time to lock in with the Canes bringing their best team they’ve had in more than 20 years.

“They got a lot of talent from depth, starters, the guys that are on the bench, all through the depth,” said Thomas.

“And I just feel like that’s a big challenge for us that we’re going to go into come Wednesday, and I feel like we’re excited for the challenge, we’re just focused, and we’re just ready to play,” said Cooper.

There’s a lot of excitement from the Canes and their fanbase ahead of the New Year’s Eve matchup.

But until then, Canes players say they will rest, stay calm, and get ready to play well enough that they enter the new year still playing football.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin tells 7News’ Sports Anchor Josh Moser that he’ll be flying into Irving on Tuesday night to witness the game.

This time, the second-seeded Buckeyes (12-1) are defending national champions as they get ready to play College Football Playoff first-timer Miami (11-2, CFP No. 10 seed) in a quarterfinal game there Wednesday night. The Cotton Bowl last January was a CFP semifinal game when Ohio State beat Texas for the third of four wins needed last postseason for a sixth AP national title.

As for the first of those appearances in North Texas two years ago, that was the last season before the CFP expanded from four to 12 teams and when it wasn’t the Cotton Bowl’s turn as one of the playoff games. The Buckeyes arrived then coming off a regular season-ending loss to rival Michigan after a 10-0 start. Their starting quarterback (Kyle McCord) had transferred and NFL-bound All-American receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. opted out of playing in what was a 14-3 loss to Missouri.

“Just more stakes than the first game I’ve ever played in here. … Now it’s a bowl game with the playoffs on the line, so it just means more,” senior receiver Carnell Tate said Monday on the field at AT&T Stadium.

“It wasn’t CFP, so I felt like the job was not accomplished. We kind of fell short of our initial goal, and then when we played here, our quarterback ended up transferring. It was a whole lot of stuff going on,” senior cornerback Davison Igbinosun said. “It was definitely a tough game. It really didn’t feel like a typical Ohio State game, and then here last year and back in the playoffs, and that was a great game.”

Ohio State hasn’t played since losing 13-10 to No. 1 Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game matchup of undefeated teams on Dec. 6, and still got a first-round bye.

Miami, which is 24 years removed from its last national title, made its CFP debut with a 10-3 win in the first round at No. 7 seed Texas A&M on Dec. 20. The Hurricanes made the 12-team playoff field even after not making the Atlantic Coast Conference title game and that league’s champ (five-loss Duke) not getting a bid.

When the Hurricanes left Dallas after a 26-20 overtime loss at SMU on Nov. 1, their second loss in three games after a 5-0 start, they weren’t even sure they would make the playoff. Now they are back in Texas for their second playoff game in a row and with another five-game winning streak.

“That was a low point for us in the season, and in that locker room, it was as simple as a decision has to be made,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said Monday. “It came down to the simplicity of taking all the clips of us in our first five games and putting it on a reel and just letting it play. No audio, no one’s talking, no nothing. Just shut the lights, remind ourselves of who we are. And there’s nothing more powerful than the power of choice.”

QBs on champion teams

Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin with Ohio State and Miami’s Carson Beck have both been part of national championship teams. Now the two most accurate FBS passers are trying to win a title as a starting quarterback.

Sayin was the Buckeyes backup last year behind Will Howard. Beck transferred to Miami after being at Georgia from 2020-24, when he was a youngster on the Bulldogs’ back-to-back national championship teams in 2021 and 2022 — he did get some late snaps in that second title game, a 65-7 romp over TCU.

The Cotton Bowl will be the first CFP game for Sayin, the sophomore who has thrown for 3,323 yards with 32 TDs and six interceptions. He has completed 78.4% of his passes (279 of 356). Beck made his first CFP start going 14-of-20 for 103 yards and a touchdown on a windy day in College Station. He has completed 74.5% of his passes (277 of 372) for 3,175 yards, 26 TDs and 10 interceptions.

Back-to-back chances

Miami’s last shot at back-to-back national championships ended in a double-overtime loss to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 3, 2003, before most of the current players were born and the only other time these teams have met in a bowl game.

Ohio State, which won the first CFP national championship at AT&T Stadium at the end of the 2014 season, is now trying to win consecutive national titles for the first time. The Buckeyes are in their seventh CFP overall, and are the only team to appear in five of the last seven — all of those since Ryan Day became their head coach.

The only other time the Hurricanes played in the Cotton Bowl was at the end of the 1990 season, their last as an independent before moving to the Big East. They beat Texas 46-3 in Cotton Bowl Stadium.

Fletcher made the news official just a few days after the best game of his college career — a 172-yard rushing effort that helped No. 10 Miami top No. 7 Texas A&M 10-3 in the opening round of the College Football Playoff.

The Hurricanes (11-2) play No. 2 Ohio State (12-1) on New Year’s Eve in the CFP quarterfinals.

“Yeah, it’s true. I’m coming back another year,” Fletcher said. “I have another year. You know, I’m a true junior. Another year guaranteed. I love this team. I love this organization. I love this culture. And I just want to spend more time with my brothers while I can.”

Fletcher has rushed for 84 or more yards eight times in his Miami career, six of those games coming this season — including four of his six 100-yard efforts.

“We were just excited to help Mark Fletcher do his thing,” offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa said Tuesday, when asked about Fletcher’s numbers at Texas A&M. “You see him — he’s a bad guy out there.”

Fletcher — who has career-bests of 857 yards and 10 touchdowns this season — started the year 39th on Miami’s all-time rushing list. He’s now 13th, having passed passing Alonzo Highsmith, Leonard Conley, Lamar Miller, Tyrone Moss, Stephen McGuire and Frank Gore last weekend alone.

He’s up to 1,978 yards in his career, 22 yards shy of becoming the 11th 2,000-yard rusher in Miami history. And more impressive than his stats last weekend, at least to Miami coaches, was the way he helped calm freshman Malachi Toney down after a fourth-quarter fumble. On the next possession, after Fletcher helped get Miami down the field, Toney wound up scoring what became the winning touchdown.

“He played like a man possessed,” Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said of Fletcher. “And we needed it. We needed his leadership in a lot of ways on the sideline and his calmness. And I don’t think you can say enough about Mark as a human being and as a player. What a leader. Just a special person.”

And then The Flag came out.

The Hurricanes stopped celebrating. They haven’t celebrated a title since.

It was Ohio State vs. Miami in the Fiesta Bowl, the national championship for the 2002 season. Miami leads 24-17 in overtime, Ohio State throws into the end zone on fourth down, the ball hits the ground, one official signals it was an incomplete pass, and the game ends. Miami wins. Except it wasn’t over. Miami doesn’t win. Another official called pass interference to extend the drive, the Buckeyes scored to tie the game, then scored again in the second overtime and won the national title 31-24.

Next week, they meet again in a postseason game — the Cotton Bowl, with Ohio State being the team seeking back-to-back national titles. The Buckeyes (12-1) and Hurricanes (11-2) will face off in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal on New Year’s Eve.

“It’s going to be a challenge for us offensively, but it’s a challenge that we’re looking forward to,” Miami quarterback Carson Beck said. “But we do recognize how talented they are, and we’re going to have to come and execute.”

And in fairness, the Hurricanes of 2002 did not execute as well as they needed against Ohio State. They turned the ball over five times and gave up four sacks. But all anyone remembers is the fourth-down play where Craig Krenzel threw to the right corner of the end zone, intended for Chris Gamble. Miami cornerback Glenn Sharpe defended, Gamble didn’t make the catch, line judge Derick Bowers motioned the pass was incomplete and the Hurricanes started to jump for joy. Sean Taylor threw his helmet so high in the air in celebration that parts of it broke upon landing.

Then Terry Porter, the back judge, made the call. It did not go over well with everyone; even ABC analyst Dan Fouts twice said “bad call” while watching replays.

Porter has said over the years that he simply took an extra moment to make sure he got the call right.

“If you make a call and it’s right, the call goes away. If you make a call and the call is wrong, it never goes away. Ever,” Porter told the Stillwater News Press for a story published in August about his entry into that state’s officiating Hall of Fame. “So just take your time and try to get it right. That’s what we all want to do. When you walk out at night, out of the place — football, basketball, I don’t care — you just want to have gotten it right.”

Beck wasn’t even 2 months old when the Miami-Ohio State title game was played. What happened on Jan. 3, 2003, in theory, won’t matter much to either side. After all, most of the players in this game weren’t even born when that happened.

“We’re focused on the present,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “We’re focused on the present.”

But matchups are often about history, about nostalgia. The teams have played twice since that Fiesta Bowl — Ohio State won in 2010, Miami won in 2011 — but those games are registering nary a blip of attention right now.

“I think games like this, with two storied programs, I think people are always going to want to pull out history and draw comparisons and all that other stuff,” Cristobal said. “And moments like that, they’re valid. They’re real. It’s what makes college football awesome, the pageantry. But this game is the 2025 Hurricanes and Buckeyes going after it, to be determined by the 22 guys on the field one snap at a time. That’s going to be the focus. That’s where all our attention will be.”

At Duffy’s Tavern, the excitement was in the air Saturday as fans watched the game and saw their team led to victory against the Aggies.

“For those who doubt us, we go another way!” said a fan.

As the ‘Canes fought through the Aggies’ defensive line, the windy conditions made it difficult for the teams to score a goal.

“Very treacherous, the whole time,” said another fan.

“The first missed field goal, we kinda – the kicker was a little bit worried about it, but I think after the end of the day, I kinda trust our team,” said a man attending the watch party.

Fans of the Hurricanes proudly wore green and orange to support their local college team, and they never lost hope.

“I never had a doubt, I knew the defense was gonna step up,” said another attendee.

Fans were clearly excited for more opportunities for their team to win, and they also hoped they could continue their winning streak.

“Our offense really struggled,” said a Hurricanes fan.

“A lot of chances to score, but in the end, it’s all about the U, man. Go Canes!” said another fan.

“If we really perform, like we did today — if our defense performs, and our offense gets better, Malachi Toney locks in — I think we can win it all, 100% we’re beating Indiana, we’re beating Ohio State. It’s over,” said a passionate fan.

Mark Fletcher Jr. had a career-high 172 yards rushing to help the Hurricanes (11-2) advance to the Cotton Bowl to face No. 2 seed Ohio State on Dec. 31.

Toney’s big play came a series after what looked a devastating mistake for the freshman. Toney made a reception, but Dalton Brooks knocked the ball out and Daymion Sanford recovered it on the Texas A&M 47 with about seven minutes to go. Teammates surrounded a visibly upset Toney on the bench, encouraging him and trying to keep him positive.

He and Miami’s offense got another chance when Rueben Bain Jr. sacked Marcel Reed on two of three plays on the ensuing drive to force a punt.

A career-long 56-yard run by Fletcher on the first play of the next drive got the Hurricanes to the Texas A&M 30 with about three minutes to go. Miami used four more runs by Fletcher to get into scoring position before Toney took the short toss from Carson Beck and dashed into the end zone.

NO. 5 OREGON 51, NO. 19 JAMES MADISON 34

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Dante Moore threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score and Oregon beat James Madison in a College Football Playoff opener.

The Ducks (12-1) advanced to face Texas Tech in a quarterfinal game at the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1. Oregon won a playoff game for the first time since 2014, when the Ducks beat Florida State in the Rose Bowl semifinal before losing to Ohio State.

Moore completed a 41-yard touchdown pass to Jamari Johnson less than two minutes into the game to give Oregon a lead it would not relinquish. Johnson hauled in Moore’s pass with his right hand, and romped into the end zone while dragging a pair of defenders.

NO. 6 MISSISSIPPI 41, NO. 17 TULANE 10

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Trinidad Chambliss ran for two touchdowns and passed for another, and Mississippi looked unfazed by the defection of coach Lane Kiffin, beating No. 17 Tulane in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

Scoring runs of 20 yards by Kewan Lacy and 4 yards by Chambliss gave OIe Miss (12-1) a 14-0 lead before eight minutes had elapsed in the coaching debut of Pete Golding, who was promoted from defensive coordinator after Kiffin left for LSU on Nov. 30.

Now Golding is set to coach Ole Miss in a CFP quarterfinal against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1

Tulane (11-3) and QB Jake Retzlaff moved the ball effectively at times, but the Rebels remained comfortably ahead throughout, thanks to Ole Miss cornerback Jaylon Braxton’s early interception, as well as multiple fumble recoveries and fourth-down stops by the Rebels’ defense.

Mark Fletcher Jr. had a career-high 172 yards rushing to help the Hurricanes (11-2) advance to the Cotton Bowl to face No. 2 seed Ohio State on Dec. 31.

Toney’s big play came a series after what looked a devastating mistake for the freshman. Toney made a reception, but Dalton Brooks knocked the ball out and Daymion Sanford recovered it on the Texas A&M 47 with about seven minutes to go. Teammates surrounded a visibly upset Toney on the bench, encouraging him and trying to keep him positive.

He and Miami’s offense got another chance when Rueben Bain Jr. sacked Marcel Reed on two of three plays on the ensuing drive to force a punt.

A career-long 56-yard run by Fletcher on the first play of the next drive got the Hurricanes to the Texas A&M 30 with about three minutes to go. Miami used four more runs by Fletcher to get into scoring position before Toney took the short toss from Carson Beck and dashed into the end zone.

The Aggies had a chance to tie it after that, but Bryce Fitzgerald intercepted Reed for the second time — this time in the end zone — to end it.

The Hurricanes used a suffocating defensive performance to stifle Texas A&M’s powerful offense, which entered the game averaging 36.3 points a game. They harassed Reed into a mistake-filled performance that included a first-quarter fumble along with the interceptions. They sacked him seven times and flushed him out of the pocket and forced him to try to make tough throws again and again.

He was 25 of 39 for 257 yards but was unable to get the Aggies in the end zone for the first time this season.

After getting the last at-large bid in the playoff, the Hurricanes now move on, with a chance to win their first national championship since 2001 in their first appearance in the CFP.

Carter Davis missed three field goals in gusty win after missing only two before Saturday. His 21-yard kick early in the third quarter got the Canes on the board after the first scoreless first half in CFP history.

It’s a disappointing playoff debut for Texas A&M (11-2), which lost to rival Texas in its regular-season finale after opening the season with 11 straight wins.

Beck, in his first season at Miami after a transfer from Georgia, was 14 of 20 for a season-low 103 yards.

Facing a second-and-18 from his own 8, Reed made consecutive throws to Ashton Bethel-Roman for 15 and 13 yards. On third-and-10 later in the drive, he connected with Bethel-Roman again on a pass that was just enough for the first down and found Mario Craver for a 12-yard gain on the next play.

The drive stalled after that, but Randy Bond tied it with a 35-yard field goal with about eight minutes to go.

The Hurricanes opened the second half with a nine-play, 72-yard drive capped by a 21-yard field goal to make it 3-0. Keelan Marion had a 20-yard reception on that drive and Fletcher added a 24-yard run on third-and-4 to keep it alive.

Fitzgerald intercepted Reed and returned it 36 yards to the A&M 20. The ‘Canes came up empty after the turnover when a 35-yard field goal attempt by Davis bounced off the left upright.

Reed fumbled late in the first quarter, but the Hurricanes were unable to cash in on the miscue. A 59-yard reception by Mario Craver got the Aggies to the 11-yard line early in the second. But they couldn’t move the ball and attempted a 22-yard field goal, which was blocked by Bain. It was Miami’s first blocked field goal since the season opener against Bethune-Cookman in 2022.

Toney’s 55-yard punt return got the Hurricanes to the 25 with about six minutes left in the second quarter. He would have scored if not for a shoestring tackle by Marcus Ratcliffe. But Dalton Brooks sacked Beck on third down to force a 47-yard field goal attempt by Davis, which sailed wide right.

Punter Tyler White’s throw on a fake punt sailed just out of reach of a diving Marcus Ratcliffe to give Miami the ball on the Texas A&M 46 with less than two minutes remaining in the first half. Davis tried a field goal from 40 as time expired in the first half, but it was wide right again.

The takeaway

Miami: The Hurricanes proved they belonged in the CFP after some questioned if they should have gotten in ahead of Notre Dame.

Texas A&M: Now that they’ve finally made the CFP, the Aggies will have a long offseason to figure out what went wrong in their disappointing quick exit.

The game will be hosted in College Station, Texas, and while the crowd will be mainly Texas A&M fans, many Hurricanes fans will also attend.

“My prediction is that Miami is gonna win, 27-21, no matter what,” said Freddie “Canefreak” Vazquez. “Miami’s confidence is high, and the players are on the high right now so they know they can move forward.”

“Then I saw Miami, and I was like, I ain’t got this, so this is it,” said Hayden Phelps, a Texas A&M fan.

Miami Hurricanes players also shared their thoughts and excitement for the big game.

“This team is excited to compete, we’re excited to go out there and show the product and the brand of what the U is, again, we’ve been preparing our butt off and we’re ready to go compete,” said Carson Beck, a quarterback for the Hurricanes.

“We need to go after it now, you know we can’t afford, this is not no normal regular season game, this is the playoffs.” said Francis Maguigoa, the Miami Hurricanes offensive tackle. “One mistake can, you know, can end it for everyone.”

“They have great fans, great stadium, just a matter of blocking out the noise and just playing in between the lines, and locking in,” said Wesley Bissanthe, a Miami Hurricanes linebacker.

“It’s the moment I came for and knowing the program was the way it was, and now we’re gonna boot it up and really grinded it out, and now we made it.” said Reuben Bain Jr., the Miami Hurricanes defensive end.

A pregame show will air live at 11:30 on ABC Miami Channel 18, with the main game airing at noon, also on ABC Miami.

The Hurricanes and Allen’s family said he was diagnosed following routine medical tests. Allen, a Miami native who started his college career at Missouri before joining the Hurricanes this year, averaged 5.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per game this season.

He has already started chemotherapy treatments.

“Marcus is an incredible person and teammate, and we will do everything we can to support him and his amazing family during this difficult time,” Miami coach Jai Lucas said. “Marcus brings toughness and selflessness to our locker room every day and those same qualities will help him defeat this disease. Our entire program will continue to support Marcus in any way that we can as he focuses on his health.”

Allen was a consensus four-star recruit out of high school and led Miami Norland High to a state championship in 2024 after averaging 22.7 points and 13.2 rebounds per game. He was picked for the Allen Iverson Classic All-American game, plus helped AZ Compass Prep to the title game at the GEICO nationals in 2023.

“We want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers during an extremely difficult time for our family,” Allen’s family said in a statement. “We thank God for his continued Grace, Mercy and Favor. We wait in anticipation for the miracle healing to take place. We are standing on FAITH.”

Band members boarded buses at the Coral Gables campus and departed for College Station, Texas, Thursday morning.

They are famously known as “The Frost Band of the Hour”, and for hyping up the crowd at “The U’s” games and events.

The Canes are set to face Texas A&M at noon on Saturday and you can watch it on ABC Miami Channel 18.

Beck smiled politely. He didn’t care.

“I’m here for something more important,” Beck said.

Nothing more really needed to be said. What Beck — a member of two national championship teams at Georgia — meant was clear. He chose Miami as the transfer destination for his final season of college football because he wanted to compete for another national title.

And, by the slimmest of margins, he and the Hurricanes have that opportunity. Miami, the No. 10 seed in the College Football Playoff, will travel to face seventh-seeded Texas A&M (11-1) in a first-round game on Saturday. The Hurricanes (10-2) were the final at-large team selected for the CFP field; No. 11 Tulane and No. 12 James Madison are ranked below Miami but got in as conference champions.

“This team is excited to compete,” Beck said. “We’re excited to go out there and show the product and the brand of what ‘The U’ is and what it stands for and the culture of who we are. We’ve been preparing our butt off and we’re ready to go compete.”

Among active players with at least 15 starts, nobody in major college football has a better record than Beck’s mark of 34-5. With 10,984 yards so far in his career, he’s the leader among active players at the FBS level. Among FBS quarterbacks with more than 50 passes attempted this season, Beck was No. 2 nationally in completion percentage. He connected on 74.7% of his throws; Ohio State’s Julian Sayin completed 78.4% for the top spot. And Beck put up those numbers even after a midseason slump of sorts where he threw six interceptions — not all his fault — in losses to Louisville and SMU.

It’s sometimes hard to remember that at this time last year, Beck was facing a most uncertain future. He was preparing for major surgery that would basically rebuild his elbow. He had to decide between entering the NFL draft or picking a new school for this year, since it was no secret that he and Georgia would be parting ways. And when he came to Miami, he had to wait months before he could do any throwing.

Over the four-game winning streak that got Miami into the playoff, Beck completed 79.5% of his throws for 1,125 yards, 11 touchdowns and one meaningless interception.

“To see a guy that came in under so much scrutiny and having to recover from surgery and everything else to grow like he’s grown — and now come down to the end playing his best football down the stretch, I think it’s awesome,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “It’s awesome to see how he approaches each and every day. He is really, really driven. His practices have been outstanding. Happy for these guys, but happy in the sense that I got to push him more.”

Beck will shatter the Miami record for single-season completion percentage (he could go 0 for 39 against Texas A&M and still be ahead of the school-record pace that No. 1 draft pick Cam Ward set last year). He set another school record with 24 consecutive completions. Now, he has a chance to do something that no Hurricanes quarterback since Ken Dorsey did in 2001. He has a chance to lead Miami to a national championship.

“It’s crazy how much can happen in a year,” Beck said. “Here we are, right? It’s been one hell of a year and there’s been a lot of adversity that we’ve had to face as a team that I’ve had to face individually.”

Texas A&M’s defense doesn’t give up much, ranking 19th nationally in yards allowed (eight spots behind Miami on that list). And Kyle Field, the Aggies’ home, is notoriously difficult for visiting teams.

But Beck has seen just about everything, which gives Miami tons of confidence.

“He’s been in big games. This is nothing that he hasn’t been in,” Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said. “I do think that that matters. And so, his poise is going to be basically contagious through the whole group.”

After the committee decided to rank Miami at No. 10, players are celebrating making the final cut, edging out No. 11 Notre Dame for the final spot in the playoffs.

According to head coach Mario Cristobal, players haven’t lost sight of the bigger picture as they look toward a road matchup against No. 7 Texas A&M on Dec. 20.

“You could imagine, they were through the roof with excitement, and then of course, today the, that type of opportunity just drives your excitement, your energy, your urgency to another level when we saw that today so we’ve been back to work and preparing and, again, just ready to get back at it,” said Cristobal. “When I say we’re fired up, it may be the understatement of the year.”

With the playoff field set, the Canes are expecting a hostile environment when they face the Aggies.

“It’s a maniacal scene. Great support, extremely loud, certainly, they do a great job, what can you say, I mean it’s very well documented so, again, preparation has to be at its best,” said Cristobal.

While Miami prepares for the matchup, one of their rivals, who they beat head-to-head in the season opener, Notre Dame, was not happy with being left out of the playoffs.

The school withdrew from bowl consideration after falling just short behind Miami, a move Cristobal was not comfortable addressing.

“I wouldn’t comment on anyone else’s situation because you never know, you never know exactly what’s up and I have too much respect for football and for Notre Dame to comment on their situation. As it relates to us, we haven’t been faced with that situation and we don’t ever expect, want to or would, really, allow that situation to happen,” he said.

You can tune in to see the Canes take on the Aggies in the first round on Saturday, Dec. 20 at 12 p.m. on ABC Miami.

The undefeated Hoosiers vaulted to the top spot based on their history-making win in the Big Ten title game against Ohio State, which fell one spot after its 13-10 loss. SEC champion Georgia was third and and Big 12 champ Texas Tech fourth. All four get first-round byes.

Most of the drama surrounded the bubble teams, and it was Alabama at No. 9 and Miami at No. 10 making the field by leapfrogging Notre Dame, which lost to the Hurricanes during opening week.

American Conference champion Tulane got the 11th spot and Sun Belt champion James Madison got the last spot over Duke, the champion of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The rest of the field: No. 5 Oregon, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 8 Oklahoma.

The playoffs start Dec. 19-20 with first round games: James Madison at Oregon; Tulane at Misssissippi; Miami at Texas A&M; and Alabama at Oklahoma.

The final is set for Jan. 19 outside of Miami.

That comes with the ACC facing at least the chance of being squeezed out of the 12-team CFP entirely based on Tuesday night’s rankings.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Phillips was emphatic in making his case for the Hurricanes and then the league’s eventual champion. That comes after the ACC had a logjam of four 6-2 teams behind the Cavaliers, triggering a tiebreaker policy that worked through multiple steps before sending the five-loss Blue Devils ahead of the Hurricanes and others for Saturday night’s title game in Charlotte.

“I have conviction and confidence in our teams, starting with Miami,” Phillips told the AP. “The second piece of that is the Virginia-Duke winner should absolutely be in this College Football Playoff.”

Current scenario

The Hurricanes (10-2) have closed strong as the league’s highest-ranked team in the AP Top 25 and CFP rankings, while the Cavaliers (10-2) finished as the lone 7-1 ACC team.

Duke’s inclusion, triggered by then-ranked SMU losing at California last weekend, represents a potential chaos agent.

Automatic CFP bids go to the five highest-ranked league champions. That theoretically accounts first for the “Power Four” champions from the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and SEC. Then would come the highest-ranked champ from a Group of Five league: the American, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West and Sun Belt conferences.

In Tuesday’s CFP rankings, Miami is a bubble team for an at-large bid at No. 12 while the Cavaliers are 17th for a simple win-and-in scenario in Charlotte.

But Duke (7-5) is unranked. Meanwhile, the American has both of its title-game teams (North Texas and Tulane) in the CFP rankings, putting that winner in line for a win-and-in ticket.

And then there’s James Madison (11-1), which entered the CFP rankings at No. 25 before Friday’s Sun Belt title game against Troy. That, along with a Duke win against Virginia, could potentially give the Sun Belt the fifth champion’s spot and leave the ACC’s CFP hopes resting with the on-the-bubble Hurricanes.

Phillips, who has previously been optimistic about landing multiple bids, knows the scenarios. He’s undeterred that the ACC deserves two bids all the same.

“I’m not naive,” he said, “but I have conviction about it.”

Miami’s case

Miami’s position stands out with the Hurricanes having a head-to-head win with Notre Dame, which sits two spots ahead in the CFP rankings despite that 27-24 season-opening loss.

That result would seemingly be a differentiator considering the teams have matching 10-2 records and comparable ESPN strength-of-schedule rankings (Notre Dame 42nd, Miami 44th). The Hurricanes have more wins against top-40 teams in ESPN’s College Football Power Index (five) than the Fighting Irish (two) and a better record against AP-ranked teams at the time of the matchup (Miami at 4-0, Notre Dame at 2-2).

Additionally, the teams had matching games against two bowl-eligible teams — home against N.C. State, at then-ranked Pittsburgh — among their four common opponents. The Hurricanes beat the Wolfpack and Panthers by a combined 65 points, more than the Irish’s 51 points in those games.

“I remain steadfast in my conviction, which has only grown stronger over the season — especially these last four weeks,” Phillips said. “The eye test, the stats, the results — they’ve earned a spot in the playoff.”

Those comparisons have also been a topic for Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich in social-media posts this week, with one noting: “Head-to-head not ‘a’ data point but ‘the’ data point!”

Phillips said he was “incredibly surprised and very disappointed” to see the Hurricanes didn’t rise after a 38-7 win against a Pitt team ranked 22nd in the CFP rankings last week. But Phillips pointed to selection committee chairman Hunter Yurachek saying no teams are locked into position, even if they’re not playing this week.

Phillips said the ACC has been in constant contact with the committee “and that’s going to continue up to the selections.”

“We know the final rankings aren’t until Sunday, so there’s time for course correction by the committee,” Phillips said. “The committee’s made it clear that idle teams can move up in the final rankings. And we’re going to continue our efforts, as there’s no question Miami’s a playoff team and they’ve earned a spot in the playoff.”

The Duke question

Virginia moved up a spot in Tuesday’s CFP rankings — “Pleased to see them move up, although I believe they should be higher,” Phillips said — to put them a win from the playoff.

A Duke win could make things dicier. But Phillips was ready to make that case, too, leaning largely on schedule strength.

The Blue Devils won the ACC tiebreaker with the Hurricanes, Georgia Tech, SMU and Pitt by virtue of its ACC opponents having the best combined winning percentage in league play (.500).

Beating the Cavaliers would mark a seventh win against a Power Four opponent, while Duke’s five losses came to teams — including at Tulane in the American — with a combined record of 46-14 (.767).

By comparison, newly ranked James Madison lost its only game to a Power Four team (at ACC member Louisville), while only one of its wins came against a team with a winning record compared to Duke’s four.

The Blue Devils’ opponents have a combined 98-58 (.628) record compared to JMU’s going 74-82 (.474), while ESPN ranks Duke’s strength of schedule at 74th compared to JMU’s at 118th.

“The management committee has made it clear this offseason that strength of schedule must be prioritized,” Phillips said.

Duke coach Manny Diaz said Sunday the Blue Devils “absolutely” would deserve a CFP bid if they win the ACC title, pointing to strength of schedule and noting: “Records have a lot to do with schedules.”

On Wednesday, Diaz was asked whether he had a reaction to Tuesday’s latest CFP rankings. He was quick with a quip, responding: “They’ll release new ones on Sunday, right? Those are the only ones that count.”

“We have a chance to beat Virginia,” Diaz said. “It seems like that would be a really quality win. We know that’s really hard to do because we’ve played them in person and we know how good they are. That’s really all we’re worried about right now.

“But the Atlantic Coast Conference champion is going to be in the playoff. I feel very confident about that.”

Fitting, considering the circumstances.

While Cristobal believes the 13th-ranked Hurricanes have proven during a dominant finishing stretch to the regular season that they are deserving of a spot in the College Football Playoff when the 12-team bracket is revealed on Dec. 7, he’s not immune to the fact that there are some who wonder if the ACC is worthy of having two schools in the field.

And if he’s being honest, Cristobal is just about over it.

“I just think people have got to stop (lying) and trying to place value on conferences,” Cristobal said. “I mean, just there’s a lot of really good football teams in all conferences, especially the ACC, and we’ve proven it.”

The Miami team that began November with an overtime loss at SMU that seemed to push its once-promising season to the brink is the same Miami team that finished with a flourish.

The Hurricanes won four straight to finish the regular season, the last a 38-7 demolition of No. 24 Pittsburgh at chilly Acrisure Stadium on Saturday that they hope will force the committee to think long and hard when the field is put together on the first Sunday in December.

Regardless of whether Miami reaches the ACC championship game, they believe they’ve done enough to earn a chance to play for a national title.

“Not only do we pass the eye test, we pass the field test, right?” Cristobal said. “Especially as it relates to playing this brand of football down the stretch and in head-to-head competition versus others that are being judged.”

Miami (10-2 overall, 6-2 ACC) responded to that listless overtime setback at SMU by spending four consecutive Saturdays exerting its will, winning by an average of 27.5 points.

The capper was a physical three-plus-hour clinic in 36-degree (2 Celsius) weather in which the guys in white from South Florida looked right at home. The Hurricanes outgained Pitt 416-229, held the Panthers to 30 yards rushing and rolled up 29 first downs as a tight first half quickly morphed into a blowout over the final two quarters.

Asked if style points are important, particularly for a team with two losses on its ledger, Miami quarterback Carson Beck didn’t disagree after throwing for 267 yards with three touchdowns and a pick.

“I think winning football games matters,” Beck said. “I think looking good obviously matters as well. And if you turn on the film … the shows that we can go out and compete with anyone and not even just compete, but dominate in some in some scenarios and situations.”

Or, during most of a gray late fall afternoon, nearly all of them.

Miami scored on five of six possessions at one point — the one non-scoring drive came on a kneel down to end the first half — then sent a message to both the Panthers and the CFP selection committee after Pitt called a timeout trailing by 24 with under 2 minutes to go.

Rather than simply run out the clock, Beck stood in the pocket and hit CJ Daniels for a 33-yard touchdown that made the final margin even more impressive.

“We’re like, ‘OK, let’s go score, screw it,’” Beck said.

Beck pointed to his team’s resiliency as one of the reasons it is worthy of playing for a national title. The Hurricanes opened the year with an electric victory over Notre Dame and reached as high as No. 2 in the polls before losing twice in three weeks as October gave way to November.

Yet any concern Beck had about the Hurricanes pouting after falling at SMU vanished when they returned to the practice field a few days later.

“It was the best practice of the year,” he said. “And to see our team respond like that and bring energy, guys were flying around, guys were making plays, guys were running around the field … And from there on out, it kind of was just this new energy.”

An energy that sustained itself during a series of emphatic blowouts that offered proof the renaissance the program has enjoyed since Cristobal returned to his alma mater has some staying power.

Senior linebacker Wesley Bissainthe was part of Cristobal’s first Miami team in 2022, a group that began the season ranked in the Top 25 and ended it at 5-7, the last loss a 42-16 embarrassment at home against Pitt.

Bissainthe and the Hurricanes came full circle in a way on Saturday, and the senior just smiled while admitting that he grew emotional in the postgame locker room as he thought about the journey both he and the program have been on.

All involved just hope the journey isn’t over yet.

“I told the guys, you know, I love them and if (the CFP committee) gives us a chance, let’s keep it going,” he said.

The former star quarterback for the Cleveland Browns and the University of Miami received the transplant on Nov. 17 at UH Cleveland Medical Center in University Circle. He identified the donor as Bryce Dunlap, who had died after a medical emergency.

“I am so thankful to Bryce Dunlap and (his) family and what’s going on,” Kosar said during a news conference at the hospital. ”And with this opportunity and blessing, the second chance at life. Rest assured, that’s something that’s never going to be forgotten.”

Dr. Zoe Stewart Lewis, who performed Kosar’s transplant, called the surgery uneventful. She said she is hopeful that a successful transplant like Kosar’s will help lead more people to recognize the importance of being an organ donor.

Kosar went on the transplant waiting list last year. He was scheduled to receive a liver transplant earlier in November but had said it was delayed because the donor organ was infected.

Kosar told Cleveland Magazine last year that he had been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and Parkinson’s disease.

The 61-year-old from Youngstown recalled being bothered by liver-related issues for years but brushed them off because he wasn’t sure of the source. A diagnosis of cirrhosis in late 2023 confirmed the specificity and severity of his condition.

“There was no way I thought I was going to be here for my 62nd birthday,” said Kosar, whose birthday is on Tuesday. “There was no way I thought I was going to be healthy, let alone walking out of here.”

Kosar played in the NFL for 12 seasons after leading Miami to its first national championship during the 1983 season. He grew up rooting for the Browns, who selected him in the 1985 NFL supplemental draft.

Kosar played for the Browns from 1985-93, leading the franchise to three AFC championship game appearances (1986, ’87 and ’89), losing each time to the Denver Broncos. Kosar is third in franchise history with 21,904 passing yards.

After being released by the Browns, Kosar joined the Dallas Cowboys for the remainder of the 1993 season and got a Super Bowl ring. He then played for the Miami Dolphins from 1994-96.

Malachi Toney had career highs in receptions (12) and yards (146) and had a touchdown, lifting the Hurricanes (9-2, 5-2 ACC, No. 13 CFP) to their third straight win and keeping alive their hopes of making it to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

“All in all, we had control of the game from the beginning all the way till the end,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “I’m really proud of our guys.”

Beck, who completed his first 11 passes and finished 27 of 32, threw touchdown passes of 20 yards to Elija Lofton and 3 yards to Mark Fletcher in the first half, and Carter Davis added two field goals, as Miami scored on all four first-half possessions to take a 20-3 halftime lead.

Virginia Tech (3-8, 2-5) cut the lead to 20-10 on a 38-yard touchdown run by Jeffrey Overton on its first possession of the second half, but Miami answered with a 16-yard TD pass from Beck to Girard Pringle Jr. nearly seven minutes later.

“I thought the game plan was really, really good going into the week in preparation from Sunday through Friday,” Beck said. “The energy was super high, the offense was clicking throughout the week and we had a lot of confidence going into the game. Even with all that, you’ve got to go out and execute, and we were able to do that.”

Beck added a 20-yard touchdown pass to Toney in the final minute for the Hurricanes, who finished with 418 yards.

Marcellous Hawkins finished with 72 yards on eight carries for the Hokies, who had 194 yards rushing against the ACC’s No. 1 rushing defense (81.8 ypg) and lost their third straight game.

“I think we played physically, I think we played on the edges and I think we’d have put more on them if we hadn’t gotten down as quickly as we did,” Virginia Tech interim coach Philip Montgomery said. “If we had been able to maintain a few things in there, I think we could have added more.”

The Takeaway

Miami: The Hurricanes have won three consecutive games by at least 17 points and are making a late-season push to get into the College Football Playoff.

Virginia Tech: The Hokies, who have lost five of six games, are playing out the season and getting ready to usher in the James Franklin era. Franklin was introduced Wednesday as the Hokies’ new coach, taking over for his former defensive coordinator at Penn State, Brent Pry, who was fired Sept. 14.

Explaining the late score

Up 10 with 26 seconds remaining, Miami elected to go for it on fourth-and-2 from the Virginia Tech 19. Instead of kicking a short field goal or handing the ball off, the Hurricanes’ staff called for a pass play, and Beck hit Toney for the final score.

Cristobal explained his mindset after the game.

“If people are going to play man coverage and load the box, it’s not fair to our players to just sit there and run it in there and get two or three free hitters on your guy,” Cristobal said. “We’re going to stay aggressive.”

Cristobal also said he wasn’t trying to impress the CFP selection committee.

“We’re playing ball. We’re not slowing down,” he said. “Some people call it style points and all that other stuff. We’re just playing ball and trying to make our team better and staying aggressive. When we call it aggressive, our players play aggressive.”

Fabulous freshman

Toney recorded his third 100-yard receiving game of the season and now has 59 catches for 698 yards and five touchdowns on the season. He is making a case for the ACC Rookie of the Year honor.

“He’s such an incredible talent,” Beck said. “I’m just glad he’s on our team. He’s going to be really special, and he is special right now.”

Up next

Miami plays at Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Virginia Tech plays at rival Virginia on Saturday.

“Hey, I’m out and I’m feeling good. Just ready to enjoy the rest of the week and the rest of our lives,” the former Cleveland Browns and University of Miami quarterback said in a brief video posted on social media following the surgery.

Kosar told Cleveland Magazine last year that he had been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and Parkinson’s disease.

The 61-year-old from Youngstown recalled being bothered by liver-related issues for years but brushed them off because he wasn’t sure of the source. A diagnosis of cirrhosis in late 2023 confirmed the specificity and severity of his condition.

He went on the transplant waiting list last July. He was scheduled to receive a liver transplant last weekend but said that it was delayed because the donor’s organ was infected.

During the past week, he has undergone five procedures to stop internal bleeding.

Kosar played in the NFL for 12 seasons after leading Miami to its first national championship during the 1983 season. He grew up rooting for the Browns, who selected him in the 1985 NFL supplemental draft.

Kosar played for the Browns from 1985-93, leading the franchise to three AFC championship game appearances (1986, ’87 and ’89), losing each time to the Denver Broncos. Kosar is third all time in franchise history with 21,904 passing yards.

After being released by the Browns, Kosar joined the Dallas Cowboys for the remainder of the 1993 season and got a Super Bowl ring. He then played for the Miami Dolphins in 1994-96.

The Browns played a tribute video for Kosar before Sunday’ game against the Baltimore Ravens. Coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that he texted with Kosar on Sunday night and wished him luck.

“Yeah, I mean, Bernie’s my guy. I know that this town has such a special relationship with Bernie from his playing days and then the impact that he’s had on this community over the course of all these years,” Stefanski said. “I didn’t have that experience with Bernie prior to coming here, but since I’ve been here, he has just been such a supportive person of me, so kind to my family. I think he sees my family every game day and just is so good to them. So, he’s a special person. He’s a special Cleveland Brown, and we are all rooting for him and we are all right there with him right now.”

Carson Beck passed for 291 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to Malachi Toney, and No. 16 Miami — looking to climb in the CFP rankings — rolled past N.C. State 41-7 on Saturday.

Beck completed his final 13 throws to cap off a 21-for-27 day for the Hurricanes (8-2, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference). Miami now has five wins by at least 25 points this season, the most in a single year by the Hurricanes since the 2002 team had six such victories.

“Turn on the tape,” defensive lineman Ahkeem Mesidor said. “Look at us when we play.”

There will be at least two CFP playoff games on Miami’s home field this season; one is the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, and the other is the CFP title game on Jan. 19. And the Hurricanes hope a win like Saturday’s is enough to keep giving them a chance of getting into that 12-team tournament.

Jakobe Thomas picked off two passes in the first quarter, running one of them back for a touchdown for Miami. And Girard Pringle Jr. more than doubled his season rushing total for the Hurricanes; he ran for 116 yards on Saturday, one more than he had in his first four games of the year.

Miami took a 41-0 lead before substituting liberally in the fourth quarter on Senior Day, the last regular-season home game for the Hurricanes. Miami outgained N.C. State 581-149; the Wolfpack had been No. 2 in total offense in ACC games entering Saturday, averaging 454 yards per game.

Taking away a one-play drive to end the first half, eight of N.C. State’s first 10 drives ended with either a punt or an interception.

“The highlight of our night was our punter, which is sad to say, but Caden Fordham did a tremendous job,” N.C. State coach Dave Doeren said. “Otherwise, offense and defense weren’t good enough.”

CJ Bailey completed 17 of 30 passes for 120 yards for N.C. State (5-5, 2-4). The Wolfpack — with Miami playing reserves on defense at the time — got on the scoreboard on a rushing touchdown from Bailey with 2:18 left. That extended N.C. State’s streak of not getting shut out to 144 games; its last time being blanked was Oct. 4, 2014.

Miami was 15th in this week’s CFP ranking, the highest of any ACC team. The Hurricanes likely would expect to move up after Saturday.

“The way you play the game, it screams, right? Loudly,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said.

The takeaway
N.C. State: The Wolfpack have now allowed 36 or more points in four consecutive games, the first time the program has done that since a four-game stretch late in the 2013 season against Duke, Boston College, East Carolina and Maryland.

Miami: The Hurricanes finished their eight-game home schedule with 510,673 tickets distributed, a Miami single-season record. The average of 63,834 per game is the second-most in program history; the Hurricanes averaged 69,539 in the 2002 season.

Up next
N.C. State: Hosts Florida State on Friday.

Miami: At Virginia Tech on Nov. 22.

Miami lost the game, 26-20. The Hurricanes, who were as high as No. 2 in the AP Top 25 last month, have dropped two of their last three games and are now ranked No. 18.

Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal said Miami has not gotten an answer from the ACC. It’s unclear if any explanations will be coming.

“Certainly, we’re waiting what the response is, as well as on the roughing the passer one which we certainly don’t agree with,” Cristobal said Monday. “But at this point in time, the best we can do is turn it in and hope for a better result next time.”

The Hurricanes’ Marquise Lightfoot was called for unnecessary roughness against SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings with about a minute left in the fourth quarter, giving the Mustangs 15 yards and a first down. Miami had called time out just before the fourth-and-9 play was snapped, and the Hurricanes argued to no avail that Lightfoot did not hear the whistle. Replays showed that Lightfoot, who did make contact with Jennings, tried to hold the SMU quarterback up after apparently realizing the play was dead.

That penalty gave SMU the ball on the Miami 37, and the Mustangs went on to kick an overtime-forcing field goal.

Miami also was incensed about how a pass interference flag that would have aided the Hurricanes was picked up, and how officials missed a Hurricanes receiver getting tackled in the end zone on a play that wound up as a Miami interception in overtime.

Miami was called for 12 penalties in the game for 96 yards, compared with four by SMU for 40 yards. The eight-penalty differential tied Miami’s biggest of the season; it had 13 penalties compared with five by Florida State when those teams played in Tallahassee last month.

Michael Irvin’s alma mater isn’t completely out of the race for the College Football Playoff, but a 26-20 OT loss to the Mustangs on Saturday puts the margin for error at zero.

Irvin, the Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver for the Dallas Cowboys, was on the sideline in his old NFL city, after a pregame chat with former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush, a pair of SMU superfans.

“The Playmaker” will spend plenty of time wondering what happened before his likely return to the home sideline in South Florida next weekend.

“Obviously, a lot of self-inflicted issues for us,” said Miami coach Mario Cristobal, whose team had 12 penalties for 96 yards. “At the end, just didn’t have enough to overcome it. We always play hard till the end, every game. But a lot of penalties. It’s on all of us.”

The biggest penalty was Lightfoot’s hit on SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings with the whistles blowing after Miami (6-2, 2-2 Atlantic Coast) called a timeout just before the snap. The Mustangs were facing fourth-and-9, down 20-17 with just 1:08 remaining.

The unnecessary roughness call moved the ball to the Miami 37-yard line. Sam Keltner’s tying 38-yard kick came with 25 seconds left.

Cristobal had a timeout but didn’t try to get into field-goal range in those final seconds. The decision looked even more curious when Ahmaad Moses intercepted Beck for the second time, just outside the goal line on third down on the opening possession of overtime.

“They had a good coverage on for our play,” Beck said. “They got us, and he made a great play on the ball. So props to him.”

The Hurricanes led 7-0 in the second quarter when Joshisa Trader, who earlier caught a 36-yard touchdown pass, couldn’t hang on to a pass from Beck. The tipped ball went to Moses, and Kevin Jennings threw a 28-yard touchdown to Yamir Knight on the next play.

Miami settled for a 10-7 halftime lead after Elijah Lofton dropped a third-down pass at the goal line in the final seconds before the break. It appeared Lofton would have scored.

“We just have to be more disciplined and that’s it,” said Beck, who was 26 of 38 for 274 yards with two touchdowns and two picks. “We just have to play better, just be disciplined.”

Miami was playing at SMU for the first time ever and outside Florida for the first time this season. After two more home games — the Hurricanes were the only team in FBS to get to November having played only one game away from home — Miami finishes the regular season with road games against Virginia Tech and Pitt.

“Just stay together. We can’t separate,” Beck said. “We have to do what we’ve said that we are the entire year. And that’s having connection, that’s playing as a team. That’s staying in unity regardless of what happens.”

Mark Fletcher Jr. rushed for 106 yards and a career-high three touchdowns, Miami’s defense was airtight for much of the game and the ninth-ranked Hurricanes pulled away for a 42-7 win over Stanford on Saturday night.

Carson Beck — coming off the first four-interception game of his career in last week’s loss to Louisville — completed 21 of 28 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown to CJ Daniels for Miami (6-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), while Jordan Lyle and Girard Pringle Jr. also ran for touchdowns.

It was Miami’s biggest victory margin in an ACC game since beating Duke 47-10 on Nov. 27, 2021.

“Mark Fletcher showed why he’s such a great player and why he’s so important to this football team.” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said.

Miami had touchdowns on six of its last seven possessions; the one drive where it didn’t score in that span saw the Hurricanes stopped on a fourth-down try at the Stanford 21.

“Proud of the way our guys stuck with it,” Cristobal said.

Malachi Toney had 138 all-purpose yards, 73 of them coming on a pair of punt returns for the Hurricanes. Miami passed for 205 yards and rushed for 199, outgaining Stanford 404-144.

“That right there was the standard for University of Miami football,” Toney said.

Cole Tabb rushed for 64 yards for Stanford (3-5, 2-3) in the first-ever meeting between the Hurricanes and the Cardinal. Ben Gulbranson threw for Stanford’s lone touchdown and completed five of his first six passes for 31 yards; he was 4-for-15 with two interceptions and only 19 yards the rest of the way.

Stanford led 7-0 after one quarter and it was 7-7 at the half. The rest was all Miami, in a reversal of the game that Stanford interim coach Frank Reich — then the Maryland quarterback — had against the Hurricanes in 1984, when he rallied his team out of a 31-0 halftime hole and won 42-40.

This time, the Hurricanes outscored the Cardinal 35-0 in the final 30 minutes. Stanford racked up 74 yards on its first drive — capped by a TD — then managed only 25 total yards on its next eight possessions combined.

“I thought our defense did a pretty good job in the first half … and then they got after us real good in the second half,” Reich said.

The takeaway
Stanford: Cardinal general manager Andrew Luck spoke to ESPN in-game and raved about what Reich has done in an interim role this season. Stanford is searching for a coach for 2026 and beyond. “Coach Reich’s doing an amazing job and he’s given this team everything he has. … I think the head coach at Stanford football is an amazing job and we’ll find the right person,” Luck said. Reich said after the game that he’s enjoying the season. “These guys are special,” he said.

Miami: Defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor, who was shaken up in the Louisville game last week, didn’t play and saw his streak of 19 consecutive starts over the last two seasons end. Mesidor entered the weekend with 26.5 sacks in his career, second-most among active FBS players.

Up next
Stanford: Hosts Pittsburgh on Nov. 1.

Miami: Visits SMU on Nov. 1.

La Liga is sending Barcelona and Villarreal to play in Miami Gardens on Dec. 20, on the same field the Hurricanes call home. The CFP schedule calls for one first-round game to be played on Dec. 19 and three on Dec. 20.

If Miami is somewhere between No. 5 and No. 8 in the final CFP rankings — and at this point, that would seem to be a very real possibility — the Hurricanes would be in line to host a game on one of those two December dates.

Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich said Friday that talks are ongoing to find a solution. ESPN reported Sunday that College Football Playoff officials also are involved in trying to figure out what may have to happen.

ESPN would be involved in any scheduling changes because it holds the CFP broadcast rights.

The contingency options would figure to include simply adjusting the CFP schedule — moving games by a day — or finding an alternate site if the Hurricanes need one. If games are moved on the calendar, it wouldn’t be much of a competitive advantage or disadvantage in terms of preparation time; winners of first-round games would not play again until Dec. 31 or Jan. 1.

It’s also possible that the soccer game, if it was to start in the morning on Dec. 20, could be played in advance of a football game on the same field that night, though such a plan would require countless logistical issues to be addressed.

No matter what happens, the situation is creating headaches on two continents.

Spanish players are clearly unhappy about the idea of sending league matches overseas and protested the move this weekend by standing still for the first 15 seconds of matches. Many of those protests were not shown on television broadcasts.

The union that represents La Liga players organized the protests, which it said were in response to a “lack of transparency, dialogue and coherence of La Liga regarding the possibility of playing a game in the United States.”

La Liga’s stance is that playing the game in Miami Gardens — which has a large Spanish-speaking population and will play host to some World Cup matches when soccer’s biggest event comes to the U.S., Mexico and Canada next year — is simply good for business. Soccer has a huge following in South Florida, one that has only grown since Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami and entered Major League Soccer in 2023.

Using Inter Miami’s stadium as a fallback wouldn’t figure to appeal to La Liga. Hard Rock Stadium can hold about 65,000 for soccer matches, while Inter Miami’s stadium in Fort Lauderdale can hold about one-third that many people.

Louisville (5-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) got touchdowns on its first two drives for a quick 14-0 lead, and the Hurricanes (5-1, 1-1) trailed the rest of the way.

Louisville also snapped Miami’s 10-game home winning streak. The last team to win at Miami? That was Louisville, in 2023.

The Hurricanes were in field-goal range, but Louisville’s TJ Capers intercepted Beck’s pass at the 30 with 32 seconds left to seal the win.

Moss completed 23 of 37 passes for 248 yards, and Isaac Brown ran for 113 yards on 15 carries for Louisville. Bell had nine catches for 136 yards, his TD grabs going for 35 and 36 yards.

Beck completed 25 of 35 passes for 271 yards for Miami. The Hurricanes had little success rushing the ball, generating only 63 yards on 24 carries against a Louisville team that came into the right with the No. 1 defense in the ACC.

Louisville came into the game 1-8 against teams ranked Nos. 1 or 2 in the AP poll. The win was over then-No. 2 Florida State, a 63-20 romp in 2016.

And on the road, there had never been a night like this for the Cardinals. They were 0-18 against Top 10 teams in true road games before Friday. Most of them weren’t even close: Louisville dropped those games by an average — an average — of 26.3 points.

Miami got to 14-10 at the half and trailed 17-13 going into the fourth, but Moss’ 36-yard scoring grab with 13:27 remaining gave the Cardinals a two-score lead again. Beck — who threw two interceptions in the first half — had another picked off on the ensuing drive with 7:50 remaining, but Miami got the ball right back on a fumble.

Malachi Toney scored on a 12-yard run one play after the fumble, then threw a 2-point conversion pass himself and Miami was right back in it — down 24-21. But the Hurricanes got no closer.

The takeaway

Louisville: The Cardinals should move into the AP Top 25 on Sunday, and had Miami guessing from the outset Friday. The first drive included, among other things, a fake reverse and a fake field goal. The fake on the chip shot — it would have been a 22-yarder — got the Cardinals down to the 1, and Moss barreled in one play later for the game’s opening score.

Miami: The Hurricanes’ loss means the list of unbeaten FBS teams is now down to 10 — all of them 6-0. The list: No. 1 Ohio State, No. 3 Indiana, No. 4 Texas A&M, No. 5 Ole Miss, No. 7 Texas Tech, No. 12 Georgia Tech, No. 15 BYU and No. 22 Memphis, along with unranked Navy and UNLV.

Up next

Louisville: Hosts Boston College on Oct. 25.

Miami: Hosts Stanford on Oct. 25.

Seems like a classic something’s-got-to-give game awaits Friday night.

No. 2 Miami (5-0, 1-0) plays host to Louisville (4-1, 1-1) in a matchup of two teams that have proven they can score but have relied on their defenses for much of the first half of the year. Louisville comes into the game ranked No. 1 in the ACC in total defense, allowing 262 yards per game, a smidge ahead of Miami (276.4) on that list.

“We’ll definitely have to play very well in order to win, but that’s why you practice all week and get ready to face a great opponent,” Louisville coach Jeff Brohm said. “Great opportunity to play an outstanding football team that’s playing as good as anyone in the country right now. We’re going to have to play really well in order to win.”

The game should have an outstanding quarterback matchup. Beck is completing 73.4% of his passes so far this year — on pace to shatter the Miami single-season record set by No. 1 overall NFL draft pick Cam Ward last season — and Louisville’s Miller Moss is seeking what would be his fourth consecutive 300-yard passing game.

Miami coach Mario Cristobal — whose team has already beaten Notre Dame, South Florida, Florida and Florida State this season, four teams that either are or have been in the AP Top 25 at some point in 2025 — had extremely high praise for Louisville.

“It’s as complete of a team that we have faced, or will face, all year long, both in their play style and their talent levels,” Cristobal said. “They have done just an excellent job forcing negative plays, disrupting the schedule of the offense. They just play really hard, really fast. … They get to the ball with bad intentions. They force a lot of turnovers. Just a really impressive football team.”

Miami at home

The Hurricanes have won 10 straight at home, officially their longest winning streak at Hard Rock Stadium since moving into that facility in 2008.

It is Miami’s longest home winning streak since winning 26 straight at the now-demolished Orange Bowl from 1999 through 2003. (The Hurricanes did have a 13-game run of regular season home wins from 2016 through 2018, though that run also had a loss to Wisconsin in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock to close the 2017 season.)

The last team to beat Miami at home? That would be Louisville, 38-31 winners in 2023.

Louisville vs. Ranked

The Cardinals have beaten at least one AP-ranked opponent in each of the last three seasons. That ties the longest such streak in school history; it also happened from 2000 through 2002, then again from 2006 through 2008.

Louisville is 1-8 all-time against teams ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the AP poll. The win was 63-20 over Florida State in 2016.

Only 5 so far

Miami and Louisville are two of the four remaining FBS teams yet to play their sixth game this season. The Hurricanes and Cardinals have each played five, as has North Carolina (which plays at California on Friday night) and Kentucky (which plays host to Texas on Saturday night).

Most teams — 111 — have already played six games this season, and another 21 have already played seven regular-season contests.

Miami and North Carolina enter Friday as the only teams who have played just one conference game to this point, excluding Notre Dame and UConn, which are both independents.

Friday Night Lights

Cristobal isn’t a huge fan of Friday night games, just because he’d rather see the spotlight on high school games.

This is Miami’s only Friday game of the season. The Hurricanes had a Sunday game to open the year against Notre Dame, and everything else on the regular season slate is a Saturday matchup.

“Big picture-wise, you always would love for Thursdays and Fridays to be high school. It belongs to them,” Cristobal said. “And then Saturdays for college and then Sundays for the NFL. … There’s enough to go around and I’m all about it. Play football every day, as long as humanly possible, and the world will be a better place.”

The series

Miami is 12-4-1 all-time against Louisville. And if recent matchups are any indicator, expect a ton of points Friday.

The scores of the last four Hurricanes-Cardinals games: Miami won 52-27 in 2019, Miami won 47-34 in 2020, Louisville won 38-31 in 2023, and Miami won 52-45 last year.

The Miami Hurricanes are hearing all that praise.

They also heard different things not too long ago. And they remember, too.

Ignoring the hype — the “rat poison,” as former Alabama coach Nick Saban famously used to call lavish compliments from the outside — is easier than one might think, many Miami players said this week. The reason: many of those lofting the praise now are the same ones who didn’t expect much from Miami coming into the season.

“I’ve been on championship teams, and I’ve been on teams that have been top-five, No. 1 in the country, and it means literally nothing,” said Miami quarterback Carson Beck, who was part of two national title-winning teams at Georgia.

“What I try to communicate and get across to these guys is ‘these same people that are telling you you’re the best and good were telling you that we were going to go 8-4 and we were going to suck before the season. So, you’re going to listen to them now that they’re saying that you’re good?'” Beck said. “That’s the thing that doesn’t really faze me. Bro, just keep playing ball.”

This is the second straight season that Miami has started 5-0, and the eighth time the Hurricanes have gotten off to such a start in the last 25 seasons. The 2001 team — the first one on that list — won the national championship. None of the other teams on the list got that job done.

Translation: a good September and October guarantees nothing.

“We’re not here just to be good in September,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “We’ve got to get better in every way, get better every day, every phase. This team is driven, this coaching staff is driven, and it’s about the work. The outside noise … it stays outside.”

Miami (5-0, 1-0 ACC) plays host to Louisville (4-1, 1-1) on Friday. The Hurricanes are big favorites, even though the Cardinals are allowing a mere 262 yards per game — the stingiest total so far this season among ACC teams.

Hurricanes defensive standout Rueben Bain Jr. is getting a double dose of the outside noise. Not only is he one of Miami’s best players, but he’s even being mentioned as a Heisman Trophy candidate by many onlookers.

“Honestly, I really don’t care about it. I’m just here to play football,” Bain said. “At the end of the day, I feel like everything’s a fluke. … I’m just trying to play football and help my team win. I mean, sometimes it can get to you, but I just look back on it and I just kind of say eff it to all of it. I just play football. The big picture is for us to really win.”

“We’ve got a long way to go,” Cristobal said.

All of that, it should be noted, came after a Miami win — in a rivalry game, no less.

For the second time this season, the second-ranked Hurricanes (5-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) are heading into a bye week after beating a rival — first Florida, now Florida State — and insisting that they have much to improve upon. It’s a far cry from what happened when Miami tasted some success in recent seasons, with the inevitable “Is ‘The U’ back?” question being asked and more often than not the Hurricanes stumbling in the weeks that followed.

“I’m sure we’re going to go back and watch this game and there’s just so many little things, little mistakes, little plays that are just left out there for grabs when we give them something or we give up something ourselves,” Beck said. “And I just think if we can eliminate those mistakes and stop shooting ourselves in the foot sometimes that we could be really dangerous and really, really good.”

Back at No. 2 this week in the AP Top 25, Miami has matched its highest ranking since being No. 1 for most of the 2002 season. The Hurricanes went 4-0 against in-state teams (beating South Florida, Bethune-Cookman, Florida and Florida State) and are the only team to beat three AP-ranked teams so far this season.

And Beck still sees room to grow. That might be the difference between this Miami team and others that had potential over the last two decades.

“Walking into the locker room and the team not being happy after we win like that, that’s what’s different,” defensive back Jakobe Thomas said. “These guys are dedicated. I can’t preach enough how much we work each and every day. We’re in the building early in the morning, late at night, watching tape together as a team. When I walked in and nobody was really excited after the win, I knew that we’ve got bigger goals.”

To be fair, yes, there were moments of Miami jubilation. Plenty of them.

Cristobal looked into the lens of the national television cameras and pointed out that Miami had won the “state title.” Offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa grabbed a pole with a huge “U” flag on it and tried jamming the end into the turf near midfield at Doak Campbell Stadium. Michael Irvin, after spending the game in his customary spot on the Miami sideline, was cheering with fans long after the final whistle.

Cristobal played for two of Miami’s five national championship teams. He knows what the fans want: a sixth title. It’s why he came back home when the Hurricanes asked him to leave Oregon four years ago. But even after winning in Tallahassee, he was quick to point out that if Miami wants to be mentioned with the 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991 and 2001 teams, there’s still a lot — a whole lot — of work left to tackle.

“We are moving forward. We’re not going back. We’re not,” Cristobal said. “We’re taking the principles and values of all those awesome teams, the physicality of those teams, the playmaking ability, the togetherness, the brotherhood of those teams, and going forward and pushing Miami football to modern day football.”

No. 1 Ohio State was dominant in its win over Minnesota, but its 40 first-place votes were its fewest since ascending to the top five weeks ago. The Hurricanes, who moved ahead of idle Oregon, went from receiving four first-place votes last week to 21 this week after winning at Florida State.

Miami also had been No. 2 two weeks ago following an open date and gave up that spot last week after Oregon’s overtime win at Penn State.

Oregon, which received the other five first-place votes, was followed by idle No. 4 Mississippi and No. 5 Texas A&M. The Aggies hammered Mississippi State and earned their highest ranking since Jimbo Fisher’s 2021 team was No. 5 in early September.

Oklahoma slipped from No. 5 to No. 6 despite its 44-0 shutout of Kent State. Indiana, which had an open date, is No. 7 and No. 8 Alabama got a two-spot promotion for its 16-point win over Vanderbilt.

No. 9 Texas Tech, which won 35-11 at previously unbeaten Houston, cracked the top 10 for the first time since it was No. 8 in the final regular-season poll in 2008. Georgia moved up two spots to No. 10 after its win over Kentucky.

Texas was the AP’s preseason No. 1 team and Penn State was No. 2. Both are now out of the rankings.

Penn State took one of the biggest falls in the 99-year history of the poll for its loss at previously winless UCLA a week after the Bruins fired their coach. The Nittany Lions had slipped from No. 2 to No. 7 following their loss to Oregon. They went to UCLA as 24.5-point favorites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, and lost 42-37. Penn State is unranked for the first time since September 2022.

The plunge out of the Top 25 matched 1959 Oklahoma for second-biggest drop out of the rankings, not counting preseason polls or the 2020 pandemic season. The ’59 Sooners went from No. 2 to out of the Top 20 after losing their opener to Northwestern.

Texas lost at Ohio State as the preseason No. 1 and was No. 9 entering its game at Florida. The Longhorns’ 29-21 loss at the Swamp sent it tumbling out of the Top 25. They hadn’t been unranked since November 2022.

Before Sunday, the last time two top-10 teams fell out of the poll the same week was Sept. 16, 1986, when it happened to No. 8 Tennessee and No. 10 Ohio State.

In and out

— No. 23 Memphis, four spots out of the Top 25 a week ago, is in for the first time since it was No. 24 in the final poll last season. The Tigers are out to their best start since 2015 and the first team to be 6-0, making them bowl-eligible for the 12th straight year.

— No. 24 South Florida (4-1) has won two straight since its lopsided loss at Miami and is back after a one-month absence.

— Penn State (7) and Texas (9) dropped out.

Poll points

__ Ohio State’s 40 first-place votes are fewest for a No. 1 team since Alabama also got 40 in the poll Sept. 29, 2024.

__ Miami’s No. 2 ranking is its highest in an October poll since 2003.

__ The teams ranked Nos. 14-19 — Missouri, Michigan, Notre Dame, Illinois, BYU and Virginia — each received five-spot promotions, biggest of the week.

__ Iowa State took the biggest fall of any team that remained in the Top 25, falling eight spots to No. 22 after losing at Cincinnati.

Conference call

SEC (9) — Nos. 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 20.

Big Ten (5) — Nos. 1, 3, 7, 15, 17.

Big 12 (4) — Nos. 9, 18, 21, 22.

ACC (4) — Nos. 2, 13, 19, 25.

American (2) — Nos. 23, 24.

Independent (1) — No. 16.

Ranked vs. ranked

— No. 1 Ohio State (5-0) at No. 17 Illinois (5-1): This is the first meeting since 2017 and first Top 25 matchup since 2001. The Buckeyes have won nine straight in the series and haven’t lost in Champaign since 1991. The lone blemish for the Illini was a blowout loss at Indiana.

— No. 7 Indiana (5-0) at No. 3 Oregon (5-0): The Hoosiers didn’t have to play Oregon last year, the Ducks’ first in the Big Ten. Indiana is 0-2 against top-five opponents under second-year coach Curt Cignetti.

— No. 8 Alabama (4-1) at No. 14 Missouri (5-0): The Crimson Tide beat the Tigers 34-0 in Tuscaloosa last year, are on a four-game win streak and looking to knock off a third straight ranked opponent. Huge opportunity here for Missouri for a marquee win in the chase for the SEC title and College Football Playoff seeding.

As the No. 3 Miami Hurricanes prepare to face the No. 18 Florida State Seminoles, Canes fans are preparing with the newest merchandise ahead of the matchup in Tallahassee.

“Ready for a big win in Tallahassee. Go Canes! The Beck is back!” said Lonnie Robinson Jr., a fan.

Several fans made their way to the Hurricanes team store located at 1340 South Dixie Highway in Coral Gables.

Some fans were stocking up before they make their trip to Doak S. Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee.

“I’m going to Tallahassee, let’s go Canes!” said Canes fan Platon Alexandrakis.

“Actually, I’ve never been to a night game at Doak before so I’m actually excited for that, I’ve always been to an afternoon game, so it’s gonna be good,” said another fan.

The Sunshine State showdown will be taking the primetime slot on Saturday night.

The Canes will be looking to strengthen their resume in the hopes of of winning a national title.

“I’ll be watching it, let’s go Canes, we’ll win it!” said a fan.

“Hurricanes dub for sure,” said another fan.

The Hurricanes and Seminoles have a decades-old rivalry, first meeting up for a battle in 1951, with the Canes holding a 36-33 edge in head-to-head matchups.

With rivalries this deep, each game is personal.

“This is what Hurricane fans live for, the big game against Florida State,” said Harry Rothwell, the team store’s manager.

Beyond just picking up another win, both football programs will fight for bragging rights.

Canes fans believe the team won’t be dropping their first game of the season to the Seminoles.

“We’re gonna beat Florida State, for sure. No contest, we’re gonna go in there, in Tallahassee, take it over,” said a fan.

“We’ve got a great team, we’re gonna win it all, so let’s start with Florida State, another one off the list,” said Rothwell.

Miami and Florida State will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday night.

You can watch the game on ABC Miami on channel 18.

It’s a rivalry Miami coach Mario Cristobal has lived as a fan and player. He has a chance to experience it as a coach now too.

“We always knew this as the best rivalry in football coming up,” said Cristobal, who won national titles with the Hurricanes in 1989 and 1991. “College football is the best sport in the world so the fact that people bring up historical moments and whatnot, it’s not surprising. I do think that our players, alumni bases, they all understand how intense this rivalry is.”

No. 3 Miami (4-0) and No. 18 Florida State (3-1, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) play Saturday night as AP Top 25-ranked teams for the first time since 2016.

Miami has resume-building wins over Notre Dame and Florida and is looking to add Florida State to that list.

Cristobal is a big believer that the College Football Playoff doesn’t start in December. In his eyes, conference games are playoff games, and he pointed out this week that league matchups seem to be tighter than many non-conference contests.

“Conference play is basically playoff football. Everybody’s alive, everybody’s vying for a spot,” Cristobal said. “So the margins for error, the margins between winning and not winning, become smaller and smaller. … I think that’s the best part of college football at this time of year. You’re getting everybody’s best and you’re giving everybody your best.”

Florida State is looking to rebound from a double-overtime loss at Virginia last Friday. The Seminoles know they can rebuild their resume, which includes a season-opening win over Alabama.

“You’ll see a sold-out Doak Campbell Stadium, nighttime, prime time,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said. “A wonderful stage to be able to show this team who we are, what we’re about, and the response that we’re going to have.”

Beck’s rule of thumb for home dogs

The Hurricanes are 4 1/2-point favorites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Miami quarterback Carson Beck, however, feels the Hurricanes will start the game trailing 7-0.

The way he sees it, a good crowd is worth a touchdown.

“In all these loud stadiums and big-time matchups, I think you can see that throughout these first five weeks of college football,” Beck said. “But for us, if we just have elite communication, we can just kind of block that crowd out and just execute and do what we do.”

Beck is chasing Berlin’s mark

Beck is 4-0 against Florida and Florida State. A win Saturday would make him the first quarterback since Brock Berlin to go 5-0 against the Gators and Seminoles. Berlin, who transferred to Miami from Florida, did that across the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

The only players in the last 15 seasons to go 2-0 against Florida and Florida State in the same year: Miami’s Cam Ward (2024) and Beck, who did it with Georgia in 2023. Beck led Miami to a win over Florida last month, so he could join that list again.

Strength versus strength

Running back Gavin Sawchuk (234 yards rushing) and quarterback Tommy Castellanos (217 yards rushing) lead Florida State’s ground attack, which ranks second in the FBS at 336.3 yards a game. Miami is tied for eighth in the FBS in rushing defense at 76.3 yards a game.

He threw for 439 yards last year for Georgia at Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium in front of 100,000 or so fans. He threw for 313 yards two years ago at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium. He has won at Texas and Tennessee, both of those crowds topping the 100,000 mark. He has won at Auburn and before a raucous crowd at Georgia Tech.

And now, Doak Campbell Stadium awaits.

Florida State’s crowd is always electric when Miami comes to town and even more so when a ranked and unbeaten Hurricanes team is on the opposite sideline. Beck is fully aware of what the environment in Tallahassee will be like Saturday night when the third-ranked Hurricanes (4-0) open Atlantic Coast Conference play by taking on the 18th-ranked Seminoles (3-1).

“The rivalry that this game is and what it means to not only the players, but also the fan bases, I’m sure that this stadium is going to be packed.” Beck said. “I’m sure it’s going to be rocking. I’m really excited for that opportunity.

“I am sure it’s going to be loud. We know we’re working through that and practicing through that with crowd noise and those types of things during practice. It’s going to be an electric environment. And we’re excited for the opportunity and challenge.”

It has all the elements that a Miami-Florida State game should have: title implications, prime-time television, tons on the line for both teams.

The Seminoles know their realistic ACC hopes — which took a hit with last week’s overtime loss at Virginia — might hinge on the outcome of this game. The Hurricanes are looking to kick off ACC play on the right foot and finish off a state title of sorts, having already beaten South Florida and Florida this season.

Beck, whose 2024 season at Georgia had some rocky moments and tons of criticism, has played like a Heisman Trophy candidate through his first month with the Hurricanes — completing 73% of his passes for nearly 1,000 yards through four games. And Florida State coach Mike Norvell is taking notice.

“You see a quarterback that’s been through it,” Norvell said. “He’s played obviously at a really high level throughout his career. He’s had his challenges. … You can see that here in Miami he’s feeling very comfortable with what they’re asking him to do and what they’ve been able to accomplish here in the early part of the season.”

Beck has seen Florida State before — sort of.

Georgia played Florida State in the Orange Bowl to conclude the 2023 season. The Seminoles were unbeaten but didn’t get picked for the College Football Playoff — then a four-team event, unlike the 12-team field now — in large part because quarterback Jordan Travis had been lost to a broken leg. Many Seminoles players opted out of the bowl game to begin focusing on the NFL draft and the Bulldogs waltzed to a 63-3 win over a watered-down lineup.

Beck knows the FSU team he’ll see Saturday will be far more competitive than that Orange Bowl lineup was.

“Obviously, they’re very talented up front,” Beck said. “They do a really good job. Their secondary is very athletic, very talented. So again, we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

The Hurricanes (4-0), ranked No. 2 in the latest Associated Press poll, head into a bye week after a 26-7 win over Florida at Hard Rock Stadium.

Miami defeated Florida State 36-14 last season, holding the Seminoles to 248 total yards while outgaining them 445-248.

The Hurricanes lead the all-time series 36-33.

No. 3 Penn State — No. 2 since the preseason — and No. 4 LSU both slipped one spot, while No. 5 Georgia and No. 6 Oregon held onto their positions.

Big climbs came from No. 7 Oklahoma, which made its top 10 debut for the first time in two years, as well as No. 11 Indiana and No. 12 Texas Tech, thanks to their lopsided wins over ranked opponents.

Florida State, Texas A&M and Texas round out the top 10.

Here’s the latest:

Looking ahead: Must-watch Big Ten and SEC games

No. 6 Oregon at No. 3 Penn State is a matchup Oregon and Penn State fans have had circled on their calendars for months.

The Nittany Lions had an extra week to prepare for the Ducks’ visit to Happy Valley and hope to avoid a similar outcome as the last time the two teams met in the Big Ten Championship game.

No. 17 Alabama at No. 5 Georgia comes after both teams were given bye weeks ahead of this SEC showdown. Alabama has climbed back from a disastrous start with back-to-back wins. A win against Georgia would put the Tide right back in the playoff conversation. For the Bulldogs, it’s their hardest test of the season yet and an opportunity to prove they belong at the top of the SEC standings.

Both big games start at 7:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday.

Next Week’s Highlights: LSU at Ole Miss and USC at Illinois

LSU looks to defend its status as the SEC’s top-ranked team on Saturday afternoon against what could be its toughest challenge yet, No. 13 Ole Miss.

The SEC clash is sure to have AP Top 25 and playoff implications.

Meanwhile, No. 21 USC will be at No. 23 Illinois. It will be a tough test on the road against an Illinois team hungry for redemption after an embarrassing loss.

The Trojans moved from No. 25 to 21 this week after a convincing 45-31 win against Michigan State. Illinois hopes to move forward and begin a slow climb back up the rankings.

Hear from a voter: Do voters actually watch The Games?

By JON WILNER

Yes, the voters watch games. But we certainly don’t watch all The Games — nobody watches all The Games or even the majority of games.

I spend many Saturdays watching games for 14 hours on screens and can’t watch all of them. But the AP doesn’t expect any single voter to watch all The Games, which is why there are 60-something voters every year across the country, with each time zone covered.

The collective observation gets all the relevant games covered. But the AP does expect all the voters to track all the results and take the ballots seriously.

Should Auburn be higher ranked?

There’s definitely an argument that Auburn deserves more credit. A seven-point loss against a ranked team isn’t necessarily a poor showing, and Auburn was competitive throughout.

Unfortunately, No. 22 is right on the cusp, and with unranked teams like BYU and TCU knocking on the door and delivering big wins, the Tigers really needed to boost their resume with a win to stay in the rankings.

It doesn’t help that it was Auburn’s only ranked matchup of the season so far. That being said, the Tigers have the talent and strength of schedule to return to the Top 25.

Oregon, Ole Miss, Tennessee hold steady

No. 6 Oregon, No. 13 Ole Miss and No. 15 Tennessee each stayed put this week.

Oregon’s 41-7 win over Oregon State didn’t sway voters to move them up any and it didn’t help that three of the top five teams ahead of Oregon had the week off.

Ole Miss beat Tulane 45-10 on Saturday, but that expected win over an unranked opponent didn’t change the rankings. Ole Miss has the chance to crack into the top 10 next week if they can defeat LSU.

Tennessee put together another high-powered offensive performance led by Joey Aguilar, beating UAB 56-24. The Vols will need to prove themselves with a ranked or noteworthy lopsided win to climb the rankings.

Sooners crack the top 10 for the first time since 2023

Oklahoma moved from No. 11 up to No. 7 after a 24-17 win against Auburn. It’s the first time the Sooners have appeared in the top 10 since 2023.

Key stat: Oklahoma’s defense sacked quarterback Jackson Arnold nine times for a loss of 44 yards and registered 14 tackles for losses. Sooners’ quarterback John Mateer threw for 271 yards and a touchdown and ran the ball in for a score.

Next test: The Sooners have the week off before hosting Kent State on Oct. 4.

AP Top 25 temperature check

Heating up: Miami (2), Oklahoma (7), Indiana (11), Texas Tech (12), TCU (24), BYU (25)

Cooling off: Illinois (23). Auburn and Utah fell out.

Steady: Oregon (6), Ole Miss (13), Tennessee (15)

Hear from a voter: Is Utah’s offense or defense to blame for their drop?

By JON WILNER

I don’t typically get that granular when assessing teams — it’s mostly about the wins/losses and the competitiveness of the game.

And here’s the reason: If you evaluate Utah’s offense and defense and use that as the basis for ranking or not ranking the Utes, then you would have to do the same for every team. And with 130-something teams, that’s impossible.

Who’s in? Who’s out?

In: TCU and BYU broke into the AP Top 25 this week.

TCU beat preseason No. 17 SMU 35-24, an effort carried by receiver Eric McAlister, who caught eight passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns. BYU cracked the rankings after knocking on the door for weeks. The Cougars improved to 3-0 with a 34-13 win over East Carolina.

Out: Auburn and Utah were knocked out of the Top 25.

Utah lost to Big 12 foe Texas Tech on Saturday. The Utes struggled with turnovers throughout, while Texas Tech seamlessly transitioned quarterbacks as Will Hammond stepped in for an injured Behren Morton midway through the game.

Hear from a voter: What makes Oklahoma a top 10 team over Indiana?

By JON WILNER

I ranked the Sooners 5th and the Hoosiers 11th and I’ll tell you exactly why: Indiana has beaten three marshmallows and has one win that could be considered a quality victory (Illinois); the Sooners have two (Michigan and Auburn).

If you flipped the resumes, I’d have the Hoosiers ahead of the Sooners by several spots. That said, it’s fair to wonder about the officiating gaffe that handed Oklahoma a touchdown in what became a 7-point win.

It was egregious enough that the SEC issued a (rare) public statement. Although I don’t take that into account, there’s a case to make that any officiating mistake of that magnitude could be factored into the voting process.

Big wins don’t always translate

Even some teams that won by at least 30 points didn’t go anywhere in the poll: No. 6 Oregon (won 41-7 vs. Oregon State), No. 13 Ole Miss (won 45-10 vs. Tulane) and No. 15 Tennessee (won 56-24 vs. UAB).

As may have been the case with LSU and Texas, those wins didn’t impress enough voters to move the teams up. The Rebels might have the biggest beef: Tulane was and perhaps still is considered among the best teams from the Group of Five.

Hear from a voter: Which Group of 5 teams deserve a spot in the poll?

By JON WILNER

The Group of Five has recorded a slew of impressive wins, most of them coming courtesy of the American. In fact, the American has more wins over Power Four teams than the ACC and Big Ten (in their nonconference matchups).

I have two G5s on my ballot this week: Memphis and South Florida. The Tigers are unbeaten and just edged Arkansas. The Bulls have the loss to Miami but wins over Boise State and Florida.

And yes, strength of schedule matters — it’s arguably more important for G5 teams than for Power Four teams because their schedules have so many low-profile schools on them.

If you’re Memphis or USF, the margins are thin — you have to take advantage of every chance. Look at what Boise State’s close loss at Oregon did for the Broncos last year. They basically rode that into the CFP.

Why winners and idle teams fall

What we have seen over the years is that changes like this often are a result of churn in front of the team in question.

For example, this week’s top 10 has only one new team in it: No. 7 Oklahoma (at the expense of former No. 9 Illinois). It was not a simple substitution, not with 66 ballots.

Adding a new team led to a shuffling: Only No. 1 Ohio State, No. 5 Georgia and No. 6 Oregon held their spots. Teams that didn’t play at all or faced an overmatched opponent (LSU, Texas) ended up losing spots.

Hear from a voter: Why did you rank your top five teams the way you did this week?

By JON WILNER

I have Miami on top for the second consecutive week. To me, the Hurricanes have the best resume with wins over Notre Dame, South Florida and Florida. I’m not sure any other team can claim three quality wins like that.

And before you suggest that Florida is not a quality win, I’d note that everything is relative this early in the season. There are plenty of teams that don’t have any wins over Power Four opponents. The Hurricanes have two, plus a quality win over South Florida (which beat Boise State and Florida).

My No. 2 team this week is Georgia, on the strength of that terrific win at Tennessee. Road wins in the SEC, especially against the top tier of the SEC, are gold.

Then comes Florida State, on the strength of the win over Alabama, followed by Ohio State and Oklahoma. The Sooners have a sneaky-good resume, with victories over Michigan and Auburn. But you could make the case for another six or eight teams to make the top tier of the rankings.

There is more guesswork in September than later in the season because of the unbalanced schedules.

Bye week teams and even some winners drop in the rankings

Six teams that didn’t play this weekend or that actually won dropped in the new poll:

No. 3 Penn State (idle), dropped one spot.

No. 4 LSU (won 56-10 vs. SE Louisiana), dropped one spot.

No. 8 Florida State (66-10 over Kent State), dropped one spot.

No. 10 Texas (won 55-10 vs. Sam Houston), dropped two spots, while rival Texas A&M (idle) moved up a spot to No. 9.

No. 14 Iowa State (idle), dropped two spots.

No. 17 Alabama (idle), dropped three spots.

Texas Tech jumps five spots, tops Big 12 on poll

Result: Texas Tech moved from No. 17 to No. 12 after beating Utah.

Reason for jump: The Red Raiders’ defense led the charge, holding Utah to a season-low 263 yards and forcing four turnovers. Texas Tech’s offense didn’t skip a beat either, even with backup quarterback Will Hammond at the helm after Behren Morton exited with an injury in the third quarter.

Next up: A bye week comes at a good time for Texas Tech, giving the team ample rest before taking on Houston on Oct. 4.

Miami earns highest ranking since 2017, jumps over Penn State and LSU

Miami earned its highest ranking since 2017, coming in at No. 2 after beating Florida 26-7. A stout defense carried the Hurricanes to the win, holding the Gators to six three-and-outs. Penn State moved down to No. 3 after having the week off, and LSU was bumped to No. 4.

Key stat: Miami’s defense forced Florida to punt seven times. The Gators went 0 of 16 on third downs.

Next test: The Hurricanes have two weeks to prepare for one of their most challenging opponents this season, No. 8 Florida State.

AP Top 25 college football poll rankings

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

1. Ohio State

2. Miami (Fla.)

3. Penn State

4. LSU

5. Georgia

6. Oregon

7. Oklahoma

8. Florida State

9. Texas A & M

10. Texas

11. Indiana

12. Texas Tech

13. Ole Miss

14. Iowa State

15. Tennessee

16. Georgia Tech

17. Alabama

18. Vanderbilt

19. Michigan

20. Missouri

21. USC

22. Notre Dame

23. Illinois

24. TCU

25. BYU

Eye-catching stats

Oklahoma sacked Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold nine times in his return to Norman.

Indiana’s 63 points against Illinois were the most a Big Ten team has ever scored against an AP top-10 opponent.

Notre Dame’s Jadrian Price went coast to coast on a kick return, scoring a 100 yard touchdown against Purdue.

Eric McCallister caught eight passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns in TCU’s win against SMU.

South Carolina finished with minus nine rushing yards in its 29-20 loss to Missouri.

Descent continues for South Carolina, Florida, Clemson

Teams recently knocked out of the Top 25 — South Carolina, Florida and Clemson — didn’t help their cases on Saturday.

South Carolina lost 29-20 to No. 23 Missouri. Florida fell 26-7 to Miami. And Clemson is off to the worst start of Dabo Swinney’s career after a 34-21 loss to Syracuse.

Clemson entered the season at No. 4. Florida had ranked No. 15 and South Carolina originally came in at No. 13 in the preseason poll.

Knocking on the door

TCU could crack the Top 25 after a 35-24 win against SMU, which entered the season at No. 16. The Horned Frogs are 3-0 ahead of a Friday night matchup against Arizona State.

Mississippi State has been knocking on the door for weeks and most recently received 69 votes. The Bulldogs improved to 4-0 on Saturday with a 38-10 win over Northern Illinois.

Syracuse comes off a well-rounded 34-21 win against Clemson. Had the victory come when Clemson was ranked, the Orange would very likely have a comfortable spot in the Top 25. But the Tigers showed their true colors with losses to LSU and Georgia Tech even before falling to Syracuse.

Six AP Top 25 teams had the week off

No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Penn State, No. 5 Georgia, No. 10 Texas A&M, No. 12 Iowa State and No. 14 Alabama all had the benefit of an early bye.

What does it mean for the rankings? Ohio State and Penn State are likely safe in the top two, but there could be some fluctuation after that.

Voters don’t typically penalize a team for having the week off, but statement wins could reshuffle standings from the mid-level on down.

An eventful Saturday that began with long lines at the University of Miami campus in Coral Gables ended with yet another victory by the school’s football team, this time over their longtime rivals, the University of Florida Gators.

But ‘Canes fans who attended the game didn’t wait until it ended. Those who spoke with 7News were certain their team would emerge triumphant.

“We’re going all the way!” said a fan.

Another fan made a bold prediction. Or was it a wish?

“National Championship this year. Let’s go, Canes, baby. Let’s go, Canes! Woooo!” he said.

Orange, green and swagger packed the Rock on Saturday, as two of the state’s most historic college football programs battled off.

“Go Caaaaanes!” said an excited fan.

“The best in the city, baby, in the state!” said another excited fan.

More fearless predictions followed, as the outlook never looked good for the Gators.

“I’ve got the ‘Canes by about 1,000. Look at that,” said a fan.

“‘Canes by a million!” said another fan.

Some Gators fans thought they could survive outside the Swamp. Not quite.

In the end, the ‘Canes swamped the Gators 26-7.

But if Gators fans have their way, the ‘Canes might just encounter trouble later in the season.

“You see, right? It’s gonna be tougher for UM than they think,” said one disheartened but hopeful Gators fan.

The big game brought the eyes of the nation to the U well before kickoff, as ESPN’s “College GameDay” also returned to campus.

Miami welcomed the biggest traveling show in all of sports with some cafecito and some South Florida humidity.

Hours before the game, the Florida Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk, “GameDay’s” celebrity picker, made his prediction.

“[The Gators] have no chance at all. It’s all ‘Canes, all day, baby!” he said as the crowd behind him erupted in cheers.

It seems like one real-life gator posted on Only in Dade knew it was time to get away. The caption accompanying the video read, “Looks like the Gators are trying to swim their way out of Miami already.”

Brown had a 2-yard rush to cap the first drive of the game for Miami (4-0), then had a 1-yard plunge with 4:08 left to seal what became the Hurricanes’ ninth win over the Gators in the teams’ last 11 meetings.

Fletcher scored from 1 yard out with 1:57 left.

Jadan Baugh had a 7-yard touchdown run for Florida (1-3), off to its worst start since 1986. The loss sent embattled coach Billy Napier’s record with the Gators to 20-22, and came on a night where Florida had its fewest total yards in a game in more than 25 years.

The Gators were outgained 344-141 and quarterback D.J. Lagway completed 12 of 23 passes for only 61 yards. It was Florida’s lowest yardage since managing only 119 against Alabama on Dec. 4, 1999.

Miami quarterback Carson Beck completed 17 of 30 passes for 160 yards and an interception. Beck improved to 3-0 all-time against Florida; in the last 25 years, only fellow former Georgia quarterbacks Jake Fromm and Aaron Murray also had three wins over the Gators as starters.

The Hurricanes were fuming after a play early in the third quarter where it appeared Brown — on fourth-and-1 from the Florida 48 — bounced off a pile, kept his legs moving and broke free for what would have been a touchdown and a 19-0 Miami lead with an extra point pending.

Southeastern Conference referee David Smith said Brown’s forward progress was stopped, taking the score off the board, and Miami punted four plays later. The Gators scored on the ensuing drive, and a game where the Hurricanes thought they had gone up by three touchdowns was suddenly a 13-7 contest.

Beck got picked off on the next Miami drive, but the Hurricanes snuffed out that Florida possession by getting a fourth-down stop on the first play of the fourth quarter and holding on to the six-point lead. Florida never got any closer.

The takeaway

Florida: The Gators had 32 yards of offense on their first six drives, before going 80 yards on the third-quarter possession capped by Baugh’s touchdown run. That extended Florida’s NCAA-record scoring streak, which now is up to 465 games dating back to 1988.

Miami: Even on an off night for the offense, the Hurricanes’ defense showed up yet again. Miami improved to 10-0 at home since the start of last season and has now won seven consecutive games against in-state opponents.

Up next

Florida: Host Texas on Oct. 4.

Miami: Visit Florida State on Oct. 4.

Fourth ranked Miami Hurricanes will welcome the University of Florida to Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night, but the hype on Saturday morning drew crowds to Coral Gables.

“I grew up watching “College GameDay,” and to actually see it in real life, at my school, is so exciting,” said UM student Cassidy Golden.

Fans swarmed in droves for the event wearing green and orange, creating signs with cartoons depicting the mascots of the two universities fighting, with UM mascot Sebastian the Ibis coming out on top.

UM also received a Friday night feature on SportsCenter. Pat McAfee interviewed ‘Canes coach Mario Cristobal from the top of the Shalala Student Center.

The event even hosted a kicking contest, as participants vied for a chance to win a grand cash prize.

“There’s only three things guaranteed in life: death, taxes, and the fact that I kick that field goal through the uprights come this Saturday,” said a student.

Students express their confidence in their university’s depth on the field.

“We’re gonna win of, course,” said UM student Ana Mendez. “One hundred percent guarantee, UF is like our rival school, we can’t stand them.”

The game has fans buzzing with excitement.

“Just, like, insane energy, like, school spirit, like, everything, it’s amazing,” said UM student Paris Rahbarian.

The buzz affects more than just students, with media traveling for the anticipated showdown feeling the Hurricanes’ energy.

“We’re going to have a party here, we’re going to talk ball, and it’s going to be some hardcore X’s and O’s, but we’re gonna have fun,” said College GameDay’s Rece Davis.

“College GameDay” aired live from UM on Saturday at 9 a.m. to noon.

The game will be nationally televised on ABC 18 starting at 7:30 p.m.

College football will be all about the U all day Saturday when “College GameDay,” the largest traveling sports show, begins their coverage live in Coral Gables at 9 a.m.

The fourth-ranked Hurricanes (3-0) will then renew their Sunshine State rivalry when they host the Gators (1-2) at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Fans across South Florida are eagerly looking forward to the day of sports and to show off generations of support when they rally for the ‘Canes on national TV.

“Everything in the whole world, both my parents went to Miami, so I kind of grew up on this campus, grew up in a Hurricane family. Green and orange is in my blood,” said Mya Gerstein.

“We’re going to win of course, 100 percent guaranteed. UF is our rival school, we can’t stand them,” said a UM student.

In ‘Cane country, the momentum has been building all week and the hype is not just bubbling for Saturday night’s game, but for “College GameDay” hyping up the clash between two titans in college football.

“I’ve done no work all week. I’ve been so unproductive just waiting for this day,” said one UM student.

“I’m super excited. I’m born and raised here, 22 years old,” said another UM student.

“I grew up watching ‘College GameDay,’ and to actually be able to see it in real life at my school is so exciting,” said a third UM student.

The ESPN show is bringing major sports personalities like Kirk Herbstreit to Coral Gables to break down another week of highly anticipated college matchups.

It’s the ninth time Miami has hosted “GameDay,” but it’ll be just the second time they’ve hosted the show on campus. The last time they were in Coral Gables was Nov. 11, 2017, when the ‘Canes defeated Notre Dame in a shocking blowout, 41-8.

“How’s it feel to be back in Miami with ‘GameDay’,” 7News asked Herbstreit as he passed the “GameDay” stage.

“It’s great to see Miami back to doing what they’re supposed to do. They’re gonna have their hands full, it’s gonna be a tough game against Florida,” said Herbstreit.

His broadcast partner, Desmond Howard, lives just a scooter ride away from the campus. He shared a video of him arriving Friday morning.

“All you got to do is check my [Instagram] story. You can see me leaving my driveway on my scooter,” said Howard.

The “GameDay” crew said they’re ready for what’s looking to be an exciting day.

“We’re going to have a party here,” said “GameDay” host Rece Davis. “We’re going to talk ball, and it’s going to be some hardcore ‘X’ and ‘O,’ but we’re going to have fun.”

Davis will be hosting “GameDay” alongside Pat McAfee.

“GameDay” being in town turns into a spectacle of its own, with the hometown team taking the national spotlight.

The “GameDay” crew said this shows the ‘Canes are positioning themselves to continue their climb in the college football rankings.

“I think they should feel as if they have a contending team. I think they should feel as if this is one of the premiere brands in all of college football,” said Davis.

For fans, the chance to show their orange and green pride on a national stage has swept across campus like a hurricane.

“It’s like insane energy, like school spirit, like everything, like, it’s amazing,” said a fan.

“It just means everything to be here, to represent my school, to get to have this special experience,” said Gerstein.

“College GameDay” also announced Florida Panthers player Matthew Tkachuk will be their celebrity guest speaker.

If you are planning to attend, it is highly recommended to arrive early, as people may begin to show up as early as 4 a.m.

“We’re going to win, of couse, 100% guaranteed,” said a UM student. “UF is like our rival school. We can’t stand them.”

You can catch this Sunshine State showdown on ABC Miami, beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. You can also tune in to the “We Got U Covered” pregame special, also on ABC Miami, starting at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Prime time will once again belong to the U on Saturday night, as the university turns into the epicenter of the college football universe in what promises to be a clash between two of Florida’s most historic programs: the No. 4 undefeated ‘Canes and the University of Florida Gators.

“Prepare, get ready. Kings of Florida, we’ll see who it is,” said a University of Miami student.

“I’m very excited,” said another UM student.

Will the Gators be able to swim outside the Swamp surrounded by orange and green? The fans who spoke with 7News on Thursday are confident.

“[Orange and green] runs through my veins. It looks like we’re gonna run through the Gators’ defense,” said UM student Ashton Weisman.

“I mean, have we seen how we have been doing all football season?” said UM student Olivia Attalla.

The big game will bring the eyes of the nation to the U, as ESPN’s “College GameDay” returns to South Florida, and the anticipation is electric.

“I’m a junior right now, I’ve been waiting two years. It’s finally time. The setup looks sick.” said Weisman. “I’m waking up, 4:30 in the morning, I’ll be in line, I’ll be the first one there.”

“It’s honestly unreal. I mean, I study out here and have my food, my lunch and my dinner, out in this area, so seeing it all closed off and these big screens is kind of awesome. I can’t wait to do it on Saturday,” said UM student Luke Miles.

“GameDay” will take center stage live from the Lakeside Patio, across from the Shalala Student Center, from 9 a.m. to noon.

Setup started Thursday, as crews built out the iconic “GameDay” stage.

“I have yet to see this in person, and I’m a huge fan of Pat McAfee and all of them,” said a UM student.

“You’ve got Pat McAfee, you know what I mean? You got a kick here going for hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said UM student Brennan Cunnion. “It’s a crazy experience, it really is.”

I saw this, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I don’t know if it will ever come back, so I’m taking it, like, by the horns,” said UM student Kallia Siderakis.

This is the ninth time Miami has hosted “College GameDay,” but it’s the second time that the show will be on campus. Last time the show came to Coral Gables, the ‘Canes stunned Notre Dame in a 41-8 victory.

“College GameDay” host Desmond Howard is expecting another showstopper.

“It’s always good when we have the traditional bluebloods, like the Miamis, like the Florida States, when they’re relevant again in college football,” he said. “So we’re very happy to be here, ‘GameDay’ is excited to be here, and obviously, it’s a big rivalry, Florida versus Miami, so what more can you ask for?”

These ‘Canes are ready to rally.

“Go ‘Canes. Gators suck,” said Miles.

“I feel like if you aren’t there, then, like, where else would you be?” said another UM student.

“College GameDay” also announced Florida Panthers player Matthew Tkachuk will be their celebrity guest speaker.

If you are planning to attend it is highly recommended to arrive early, as people may begin to show up as early as 4:00a.m.

You can catch this Sunshine State showdown on ABC Miami, beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. You can also tune in to the “We Got U Covered” pregame special, also on ABC Miami, starting at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Miami enters the game undefeated and ranked fourth in the nation, led by quarterback Carson Beck, a Heisman hopeful known for both his arm and his ability to run.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium and will be broadcast on ABC Miami Channel 18.

Fans can get an early start with ESPN’s “College GameDay” broadcasting live from Coral Gables, beginning at 9 a.m. after the pit opens at 6:30 a.m.

7News will also carry its own pregame coverage with “We Got U Covered” at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, leading fans right into the action.

The meaning of rivalry weeks was not among them.

For the first time, Miami is set to face its two biggest rivals — Florida and Florida State — in consecutive games during the same season. (Technically, there have been three instances of Miami seeing those opponents in back-to-back games, all when the Hurricanes ended one season facing the Gators and opened the next season against the Seminoles.)

It starts Saturday, when Beck and the fourth-ranked Hurricanes (3-0) play host to the Gators (1-2). Miami beat Florida last season and Beck was Georgia’s starting quarterback for wins over the Gators — the Bulldogs also count Florida as a big rival — in 2023 and 2024.

“I’m very up to speed,” Beck said. “Obviously, being at Georgia, we value our rivalries. I mean, Georgia-Florida is one of the biggest games of the year for us every year. Being in Miami, you get two in-state rivalries, which is pretty dope. The tensions rise. The competition is always heightened with those rivalry games. And obviously, I’ve been in Florida my whole life, so I’m super familiar with all the rivalries.”

In turn, the Gators are also super familiar with Beck.

He has the chance to be the third quarterback in the last 25 years — fellow former Georgia quarterbacks Jake Fromm and Aaron Murray are the others — to beat Florida three times as a starter. Beck was 44 of 68 passing for 624 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions against Florida in the past two seasons, getting wins by scores of 43-20 and 34-20.

“He’s a good quarterback,” Florida defensive lineman George Gumbs Jr. said. “I feel like going into every game with a good quarterback, our goal is to affect the quarterback. The quarterback is usually going to be the team. So, once we affect the quarterback, we slow the offense down.”

Miami’s three opponents so far this season — Notre Dame, Bethune-Cookman and South Florida — have had similar mindsets going into their games against the Hurricanes. None were successful.

Among quarterbacks with more than 20 pass attempts so far this season, Beck leads the country with a 79.3% completion percentage. He’s 65 of 82 through three games for 812 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions, both of those picks coming against USF last week and neither exactly being his fault. And nobody in the last 30 years has gotten off to such an accurate start in three games with at least two of those contests coming against AP-ranked opponents.

Plus, there’s this: Beck simply knows the Gators. It’s a plus for Miami this week.

“You prepare for everything historically, what teams have done and whatnot,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “But without question, experience at that position and understanding conceptually what we do versus what opponents show us is always a tremendous bonus. And certainly, he takes a lot of pride in studying his opponents. So, any insight from him is welcome and respected.”

Beck is from Jacksonville, not too far from Gainesville, and around his freshman year of high school decided that he would attend Florida to play both football and baseball. Plans changed, obviously, but he clearly has more than just a basic understanding of the rivalry.

And he knows Florida’s defense is better than the Gators’ 1-2 record. Florida’s defense has yielded only two touchdowns this season so far, and has given up just seven in its last seven games going back to last year.

“It’s a really good defense and they’ve shown that this year in the three games that they’ve played,” Beck said. “So again, it’s going to be a challenge for us. But you know, we’re excited to accept that challenge.”

He was smiling. And that’s probably the big news.

Fletcher — whose father, beloved within the Hurricane family, died last fall — might be playing the best football of his college career. He has rushed for two scores in two straight games, the most recent of those coming Saturday when then-No. 5 Miami rolled past then-No. 18 South Florida 49-12 and moved to 3-0 on the season.

“Everything is good right now,” Fletcher said.

It took Fletcher a long time to get to that place.

Mark Fletcher Sr. died last October, days before Miami played its annual rivalry game against Florida State. The whole team attended the funeral, and Fletcher not only played that weekend against the Seminoles but scored a touchdown in that game — taking a knee in the end zone afterward.

“It feels like yesterday, if I had to be completely honest,” Fletcher said earlier this season, when asked how he’s coping. “But I feel like there’s other people who feel like me as well, other people dealing with loss. And honestly, you just have to keep on going. I just keep on going, tapping in more to my faith. Either I can sit and be quiet, or I can do something and use it as motivation. I’m going to choose the second option always.”

This Miami roster is filled with big names and big personalities. Quarterback Carson Beck is an early Heisman Trophy front-runner, defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. is widely perceived to be a top draft prospect for next year and wide receiver C.J. Daniels has made highlight-reel catches in each of the season’s first three games.

But the most-liked guy in the locker room, if such a ranking existed, might be Fletcher.

“I think Mark is the best human on this football team,” Miami backup quarterback Emory Williams said. “I look at Mark, and if I haven’t made this point super clear to him, I’d tell him, ‘I want to be the kind of man you are.’ To be the person he is each and every single day, to be leader he is, I mean, that’s a man. He knows. He gets it. Any father figure would want their son to be like Mark, and any person would want to be like Mark. He’s the best human on the team.”

In many ways, Fletcher set a tone for Miami coming into this season.

Like all players now in this transfer-portal era of college football, Fletcher had options after last season. The Miami running back room has plenty of talent. Having a big-time transfer like Beck to follow No. 1 draft pick Cam Ward at quarterback means the Hurricanes will be throwing the ball often. Fletcher isn’t going to get 20 or 25 carries a game like he possibly could have elsewhere.

But he stayed. Teammates took notice.

“As steady as he is as a person, as a leader for our team, for our group, I don’t know if words can put that into any perspective or do it any justice,” offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said. “He just is who he is. And everybody sees it. He’s very genuine. What he went through last year and to keep playing was really inspirational.”

Fletcher is one of 14 players at the FBS level with multiple games of at least two rushing touchdowns so far this season. With 18 career rushing touchdowns, he is four away from cracking Miami’s all-time top 10 list. He’s helped Beck — who is completing nearly 80% of his passes — get off to a flying start and is a huge reason why No. 4 Miami is looking very much like a contender in the early going.

“The sky’s the limit for this team,” Fletcher said. “Sky’s the limit. Just stay disciplined, play for each other, not worry about individual success. Do that and man, this team could definitely make it to the top.”

And he knows his father would be proud.

“That’s my why,” he said.

It was Miami’s biggest victory margin over a ranked opponent since beating Washington 65-7 in 2001, the Hurricanes’ most recent national championship season.

Beck completed 23 of 28 passes for 340 yards and ran for a touchdown for Miami (3-0). Fletcher had a two-TD game for the second consecutive week and Joshua Moore had two first-quarter scoring catches.

The Hurricanes are 6-0 since the start of last season against in-state opponents, winning those games by an average of 34.5 points.

Byrum Brown completed 20 of 36 passes for 274 yards and a touchdown for USF (2-1), which was bidding to be the first team since Miami in 1987 to open a season by beating three consecutive AP-ranked opponents. Brown threw an interception late in the first half, ending his school-record streak of 252 passes without being picked off.

Christian Neptune had a 12-yard touchdown catch for the Bulls, who got 128 yards on just four catches from Chas Nimrod. USF had four passes go for more than 25 yards, including 53- and 43-yarders to Nimrod.

The game was delayed for 1 hour, 41 minutes in the first half because of severe weather in the area.

The takeaway

South Florida: USF led Miami 15-14 with 2 minutes left in the half of their game last year. Miami outscored the Bulls 36-0 the rest of the way in that game — and was up 28-6 with 2 minutes left in the half this year. Add it up, and USF was outscored 64-6 by the Hurricanes over 60 minutes of play.

Miami: The game was essentially sealed when the Hurricanes’ Rueben Bain Jr. stopped Brown on a fourth-and-3 carry from the Miami 9 late in the third quarter, with the hosts leading 28-6. Miami needed only six plays to go 91 yards; Beck had three passes for 64 yards on the drive and Fletcher capped it with a 13-yard TD run.

Up next

South Florida: Hosts South Carolina State next Saturday.

Miami: Hosts Florida next Saturday.

The ring he wears to track biometrics said he slept for less than an hour that night. He wasn’t complaining.

“You know what? How blessed are we?” Cristobal said. “We get to capitalize on this and be able to wake up the next morning and get right back at it again.”

Such is the approach for now-No. 5 Miami (1-0), which jumped five spots in the AP Top 25 after beating Notre Dame. The Hurricanes next play host to FCS opponent Bethune-Cookman (0-1) on Saturday night.

It’s the start of four consecutive games against in-state opponents for the Hurricanes — a first in the school’s 100 years of football. After facing Bethune-Cookman, Miami will close out its nonconference schedule against South Florida and No. 13 Florida over the following two weeks and then open Atlantic Coast Conference play at No. 14 Florida State to start October.

Bethune-Cookman opened last weekend with a 42-9 loss at FIU, but Miami quarterback Carson Beck said the Hurricanes won’t overlook the Wildcats.

“This team is very internally driven,” Beck said. “All offseason, we worked so hard for the whole entire season, not just Notre Dame, the first game. We’re very internally driven. We’re hungry. There’s a lot of people with a lot of things to prove on this team. And humility is always a week away. I think that’s what I’m really trying to stress to a lot these guys is each and every week matters.”

Cristobal also spoke highly of Bethune-Cookman coach Raymond Woodie Jr., plus noted that the Wildcats have several players from the Miami area — so he knows coming home to play the Hurricanes will be incentive for them.

“I know their head coach, he’s a hell of a football coach and a really good motivator and this is a big game for both them and for us,” Cristobal said. “Last game has no value if you don’t take care of this next game and that goes on for every game as the season goes on.”

The series

Miami leads the series with Bethune-Cookman 7-0, winning each of those contests by at least 28 points. The Wildcats scored first in four of those seven games, but the average final score in the series is Miami 50, Bethune-Cookman 8.

Daniels watch

Miami receiver CJ Daniels, who had the one-handed touchdown catch to help beat Notre Dame, enters this week 15 yards shy of the 2,500-yard milestone for his college career. The TD grab was his first since Dec. 1, 2023, when he was at Liberty.

Perfect at No. 5

Maybe Miami’s lucky number is 5. The Hurricanes are 12-0 all time when playing as the No. 5 team in the AP poll, their best record for any ranking. They’re 4-0 at No. 20 and 3-0 at No. 21 — but have lost at least once when holding every other ranking in the Top 25.

Welcome back

Brandon Washington, who was a standout offensive lineman at Miami before getting drafted in 2012 and playing professionally — four years in the NFL and three more in the CFL — for seven seasons, returns to his former home field Saturday. Washington is Bethune-Cookman’s offensive line coach and run game coordinator.

Biggest test

If this isn’t the biggest test Bethune-Cookman has faced, it has to be fairly high on the list. The Wildcats played then-No. 8 Florida State in 2013, but Saturday will be the school’s first time taking on a team ranked No. 5 or higher in the AP Top 25 at game time.

Barrow, 55, was taken into custody on Monday and charged with three counts of misdemeanor battery, according to his arrest report.

Deputies said they were called to Terminal 4 around 9 p.m., where witnesses reported seeing Barrow in a fight with family members.

Investigators said the altercation began when Barrow argued with his teenage son, threatened to hit him and then swung a punch that instead struck his wife, knocking her to the ground.

Barrow then allegedly punched the teen in the face before wrestling with his adult son, who stepped in to intervene, deputies wrote.

No serious injuries were reported.

Barrow was booked into the Broward Main Jail without incident.

Barrow, a standout linebacker for the Miami Hurricanes in the early 1990s, later played in the NFL and has held coaching positions at both the collegiate and professional levels.

Miami jumped into the top five after edging out Notre Dame, marking one of the program’s highest rankings in recent years.

The Hurricanes held onto the lead despite a late-game resurgence from the Fighting Irish and quarterback CJ Carr. The Irish tied it up at 24 with 3:21 remaining. Transfer quarterback Carson Beck led a 10-play, 46-yard drive, putting the Hurricanes in field goal range with 1:07 remaining. Kicker Carter Davis hit a 47-yard field goal to seal the deal.

The Hurricanes last cracked the Top 5 in 2024 after a 9-0 start.

The Hurricanes aren’t the only ones making moves in the Sunshine State.

The Florida Gators climbed to No. 13 after their season-opening win over LIU, and Florida State re-entered the poll at No. 14 after pulling off a big upset over Alabama.

It’s the first time since the 2006 preseason that Miami, Florida and Florida State have all been ranked in the AP Top 15 at the same time.

At the very top, Ohio State took over the No. 1 spot after knocking off preseason favorite Texas 14-7. Penn State held steady at No. 2, while LSU and Georgia rounded out the top four.