mike winchell

No. 4 Notre Dame takes down No. 1 Miami 31-24. The historical implications of this game are absolutely INSANE. 1. A FIRST IN 90 YEARS OF AP POLL HISTORY • For the FIRST TIME since the AP Poll began in 1936, two No. 4 teams have beaten No. 1 teams in the same regular season. Sept. 12: No. 4 Texas beat No. 1 Ohio State Nov. 7: No. 4 Notre Dame beat No. 1 Miami • Only once before, in 1963, had AP No. 1 teams suffered two regular-season losses to top-5 opponents in the same season. 2. FIVE STRAIGHT WEEKS OF TOP-TWO LOSSES • An AP top-two team has now lost in FIVE consecutive weeks. Oct. 10: No. 1 Texas lost to Oklahoma Oct. 17: No. 1 Georgia lost to Auburn AND No. 2 Notre Dame lost to BYU Oct. 24: No. 2 BYU lost to UCF Oct. 31: No. 2 Ohio State lost to USC Nov. 7: No. 1 Miami lost to Notre Dame • That TIES 2007 for the longest such streak since the AP Poll began in 1936. • Other notable streaks lasted four weeks, in 1964 and 2024. • A top-two team has now lost in SIX of the last NINE weeks, dating back to Ohio State's September 12 loss. 3. THE NO. 1 CURSE IS REAL • The AP No. 1 team has now lost FOUR times this regular season. Sept. 12: Ohio State lost to Texas Oct. 10: Texas lost to Oklahoma Oct. 17: Georgia lost to Auburn Nov. 7: Miami lost to Notre Dame • That's the most regular-season losses by AP No. 1 teams since 1990, when five occurred. • The record since 1936 is six, set in 1981. Both 1984 and 1990 had five. • EVERY team to hold the No. 1 ranking this season has lost while holding it. Ohio State Texas Georgia Miami • Georgia is now positioned to return to No. 1 following Miami's loss. 4. THREE HISTORIC GAMES. THE EXACT SAME SCORE. • Notre Dame just beat No. 1 Miami 31-24. • The EXACT SAME SCORE as Notre Dame's legendary 1993 "Game of the Century" victory over No. 1 Florida State. • It's also Miami's first loss as the AP No. 1 team since the 2003 Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State. • The score of that game? ALSO 31-24. 1993: Notre Dame 31, No. 1 Florida State 24 2003: Ohio State 31, No. 1 Miami 24 2026: Notre Dame 31, No. 1 Miami 24 5. MIAMI'S FIRST REAL TEST • Miami entered tonight 8-0 and ranked No. 1 without having faced a SINGLE ranked opponent. • Its first ranked opponent? No. 4 Notre Dame. • Its first loss? 31-24. • Since 1989, AP top-5 teams that started 8-0 or better without facing a ranked opponent are now just 2-8 in their first ranked matchup. • Miami is the ONLY team in that group that was ranked No. 1 entering its first ranked game. • Other teams in that group include: 1989 Nebraska: Lost 1990 Nebraska: Lost 2000 Virginia Tech: Lost 2004 Utah: Won 2015 TCU: Lost 2015 Baylor: Lost 2015 Ohio State: Lost 2023 Michigan: Won 2024 Indiana: Lost 2026 Miami: Lost • Only 2004 Utah and 2023 Michigan won their first ranked test. 6. MARCUS FREEMAN KEEPS WINNING BIG GAMES • Marcus Freeman improves to 4-2 against AP top-5 opponents. • Tonight was Freeman's FIRST career game against an AP No. 1 team. He is now 1-0. • Freeman is now 25-1 when leading by 14+ points at halftime. • His ONLY loss when holding a 14+ point halftime lead came in his very first game as head coach, the 2022 Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma State. • Notre Dame led Miami 17-3 at halftime and extended the lead to 24-3 in the third quarter before holding on to win 31-24. 7. NOTRE DAME'S HISTORY AGAINST NO. 1 • Notre Dame has now beaten an AP No. 1 team TEN times, improving to 10-16-1 all-time against top-ranked opponents. • It's the Irish's first win over No. 1 since beating Clemson in 2020. • It's Notre Dame's first win over a No. 1 Miami team since the legendary 31-30 "Catholics vs. Convicts" game in 1988. • The Irish have now knocked off No. 1 Miami in two of the most memorable matchups in the rivalry's history. 8. MIAMI'S COMEBACK FALLS SHORT • Miami trailed Notre Dame 17-3 at halftime and 24-3 in the third quarter before cutting the deficit to seven. • Mario Cristobal falls to 1-17 as a head coach when trailing by 14+ points at halftime. • Miami falls to 1-21 when trailing by 14+ at halftime since 2001. • Cristobal entered tonight 0-3 when trailing by 14+ at halftime with his team scoring exactly 3 points. That record is now 0-4. 9. ONLY TWO UNDEFEATED TEAMS REMAIN • With Miami's loss, just TWO undefeated teams remain in FBS. UCLA Utah • That's the FEWEST undefeated FBS teams at this point of a season since 2003. What an absolutely ridiculous season of college football. via IronFootball.app @ironfbstats