Notre Dame and Georgia poised to replace Miami at No. 1 in AP poll
The Hurricanes dropped out of the top spot after a loss to the Fighting Irish on Saturday, leaving voters to choose between two strong contenders for the lead.
By Ibrahim Howard ·
College football fans face a new leader at the top of the AP Top 25 this Sunday. Miami lost its No. 1 ranking after falling to Notre Dame on Saturday night. The result forces poll voters to determine which team takes over the number one position.
Notre Dame has a strong claim to the top spot. The Fighting Irish hold a 1-1 record against top ten teams, having lost only to BYU earlier in the season. Georgia also presents a compelling case. The Bulldogs defeated Mississippi 42-7 on Saturday. They have won two convincing games since their loss to unranked Auburn three weeks ago.
Utah, ranked No. 3, could also receive support from voters. The Utes stayed unbeaten by defeating BYU on Saturday. UCLA is 9-0 for the first time this season and may climb if voters drop Miami significantly. Alabama and Texas are also in line for promotions after winning on the road against LSU and Missouri respectively.
Several teams will fall in the rankings. Ohio State dropped from No. 2 to No. 11 last week after losing to Southern California. The Buckeyes will likely fall further after losing 41-28 to Oregon at home on Saturday. Florida, which was ranked No. 25, lost 23-7 to Oklahoma at home and will drop out of the poll.
Tennessee and Houston should move up in the standings. Tennessee beat Kentucky 34-6, while Houston defeated Cincinnati 31-24. Oregon is first in line to receive a ranking for the first time this season. SMU and Oklahoma State could also return to the poll after posting lopsided victories.
