USA Today released its annual ranking of the best 25 programs in college football. While it's not exactly a measure of who will be good in the fall, it is a litmus test on where the media thinks the blue bloods stand.
The ranking takes into account sustained history, tradition and brand power. It was put together by a panel of four USA Today writers, and Miami landed at No. 9, with the reasoning behind it is worth digging into.
Top College Football Programs
— The off-season (@TheOffSeasonCFB) July 23, 2026
per @USATODAY
#1 Ohio State
#2 Alabama
#3 Georgia
#4 Notre Dame
#5 Texas
#6 LSU
#7 Michigan
#8 Oklahoma
#9 Miami (FL)
#10 USC
#11 Oregon
#12 Penn State
#13 Clemson
#14 Florida
#15 Texas A&M
#16 Tennessee
#17 Indiana
#18 Florida State
#19 BYU
#20…
USA Today ranks Miami No. 9 among the best programs in college football
The writers pointed out something interesting about Miami's spot on the list.
All five of the program's national championships came before it ever joined the ACC, which means conference membership hasn't actually done much for Miami's standing the way it has for other programs.
USA Today floated the idea that the Hurricanes' current run, capped by last season's trip to the national championship game, could start to change that equation. The writers were also blunt about where part of Miami's national name recognition comes from, noting the program's history of rules violations alongside its on-field success.
Miami's spot puts it directly behind Oklahoma, whose case rests on seven Heisman winners and a winning percentage that trails only Alabama among SEC programs, and ahead of USC, which still hasn't reached the College Football Playoff while Pete Carroll's shadow continues to loom over the program.
The top of the list is close to unanimous around the country.
Ohio State takes No. 1 on the strength of a 165-21 record since 2012 and three straight full-time coaches who've delivered a national title, the latest coming under Ryan Day. Alabama sits at No. 2 behind a dominant Nick Saban era and Georgia rounds out the top three, with Kirby Smart having built a top tier program.
Indiana cracked the rankings for the first time after last season's undefeated run to the national title, something that would have been unthinkable two years ago. BYU, Ole Miss and SMU all moved up as well, each riding recent Playoff appearances. On the way down, Clemson and Nebraska both slid, and Wisconsin and Michigan State fell out of the top 25 entirely.
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