Miami is projected to take over the top spot in the US LBM Coaches Poll after a Week 7 Saturday that saw three of the top four teams and five of the top seven go down, according to Yahoo Sports. The wild reshuffling leaves unbeaten teams from BYU, Texas Tech and UCLA climbing while Georgia, Notre Dame and Indiana absorb the damage.
Iowa fans have a rooting interest in the fallout. The idle Hawkeyes are projected to hold their ground near the back half of the top 15 while the chaos unfolds around them.
Who becomes the new No. 1?
The safest guess, per Yahoo Sports, is Miami. The No. 3 Hurricanes survived Florida State 43-35 in a double-overtime thriller in Tallahassee, and with No. 1 Georgia and No. 2 Notre Dame both losing, the coaches have a clean path to move the Hurricanes up.
USA Today projects the same outcome, noting Miami would sit at No. 1 in the Coaches Poll for the first time since the final weeks of the 2002 season. USA Today called it possibly the wildest weekend for top-ranked teams in modern college football history.
Ohio State has a case after grinding out a 19-15 road win at previously unbeaten Indiana, but the Buckeyes already own a loss to Texas. SI.com weighed the three contenders and concluded that Miami's unbeaten record should win out over Ohio State's stronger resume.
How the top teams fell
Georgia, the reigning No. 1, fell at Auburn 27-24. Notre Dame dropped a 28-24 decision to BYU in Provo, where the Cougars bullied the Irish at the line of scrimmage. Indiana's unbeaten run ended in Bloomington when Ohio State escaped 19-15, a game that turned on a Nick Marsh catch that nearly went the other way.
The SEC took heavy losses too. Alabama was hammered 26-10 at Tennessee, and Texas fell at home to Florida 27-24, the Longhorns' second straight defeat after starting the year at No. 6.
Where Iowa lands in the projected poll
Yahoo Sports projects the Hawkeyes holding at No. 16 in the Coaches Poll, standing pat during their open week at 5-1. The projection mirrors the AP-style ballot, which also slots Iowa at No. 16 with the same record.
The idle week means Kirk Ferentz's team dodged the carnage entirely. While rivals tumbled, Iowa kept its position and now watches a schedule ahead that looks softer after once-daunting opponents took losses.
Biggest winners and losers of Week 7
BYU, UCLA and LSU are projected as the week's big movers. The unbeaten Cougars jump to No. 3 after toppling Notre Dame. UCLA, also unbeaten at 6-0 after a 17-17 win over Wisconsin, climbed to No. 9. LSU rolled Mississippi State 31-0 and moves to No. 17.
The losers are obvious. Texas free-falls from No. 6 to No. 20 after losing to Florida. Missouri drops from No. 13 to No. 21 after a 31-3 humiliation against Ole Miss. Georgia slides from No. 1 to No. 5, and Notre Dame lands at No. 6.
Other ranked notes
Texas Tech, one of the forgotten unbeatens, is projected at No. 4 after blasting Arizona State 53-25. Utah stays perfect at 6-0 with a 27-24 escape against Colorado and checks in at No. 8. Tennessee's statement win over Alabama lifts the Volunteers to No. 11.
Oregon, which needed Dylan Raiola to rescue a 17-14 win over Nebraska, inches up to No. 23. For a fuller breakdown of where the Hawkeyes stand, see our earlier coverage of Iowa holding firm as Week 7 chaos reshuffled the Top 25.
Frequently asked questions
Who is projected to be the new No. 1 team in the Coaches Poll?
Miami, which improved to 6-0 with a 43-35 double-overtime win over Florida State on Saturday, is projected by both Yahoo Sports and USA Today to take the top spot.
Did Iowa move in the projected Week 8 poll?
No. Iowa held at No. 16 at 5-1 after sitting out Week 7 on a bye.
Which ranked teams lost in Week 7?
Georgia, Notre Dame, Indiana, Alabama, Texas, Missouri and Mississippi State all lost during the weekend of Oct. 17-18, 2026.