The Miami Hurricanes open 2026 as Florida’s top-ranked college football team, while FSU sits at the bottom of the seven FBS programs in the state after its recent win over New Mexico State.
That gives the rankings a clear pair of bookends, even if the middle feels far less settled. The top spot belongs to Miami, last season’s 13-3 team that reached the national championship game and heads into Friday night’s trip to Stanford with a lot of momentum. The note attached to the Hurricanes also points to an NIL salary pool around $35 million, a figure that’s come a long way from where it sat several years ago.
Behind Miami, USF checks in at No. 2 after a 9-4 season. The Bulls now move forward under Brian Hartline, who takes over after Alex Golesh left for Arkansas. The change at the top comes with a reminder that the track record for former Ohio State assistants in head-coaching jobs has been mixed, with Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame drawing praise, Chris Ash at Rutgers not so much, and Luke Fickell landing somewhere in between with Cincinnati and Wisconsin.
Florida lands at No. 3 after a 4-8 season and opens this week at home against FAU. One offseason storyline out of Gainesville centered on the increased weight being lifted in a newly uncarpeted weight room, with actual totals and averages included in the reporting.
UCF comes in at No. 4, with a projected win over a team identified only as the ’Cats, 36-8.
FIU is fifth after a 7-6 season and heads to USF this week. Willie Simmons’ first year as head coach in 2025 turned the program around and turned some heads, and the expectation here is that if he makes another jump, he may not be around when these rankings are revisited next year.
FAU sits sixth after a 4-8 season and travels to Florida. The Owls’ quarterback, Caden Vetkamp, is noted as the only returning starting quarterback among the state’s seven FBS teams.
At the bottom is FSU, listed at 1-0 after beating New Mexico State 34-17. The Seminoles host SMU on Monday, and the matchup comes with the warning that the Mustangs return a lot of starters. The pick there is SMU 27, Florida State 23.
The full set of predictions runs from Miami’s 40-16 forecast at Stanford to Florida’s 35-6 pick over FAU, with USF projected to beat FIU 28-16 and UCF’s 36-8 call rounding out the upper half of the state.
In Other News...
FSUs Passing Attack Suddenly Looks Tougher To Defend
Florida States season opener offered a useful first look at an offense that may be tougher to pin down than it was a year ago. Ashton Daniels settled in by completing 17 passes for 202 yards, and the ball was moved around to a wide range of targets, with Samuel Singleton Jr., Micahi Danzy, Duce Robinson and Jayvan Boggs all getting involved. The variety stood out as much as the production, because the Seminoles were not leaning on one obvious go-to option.
Instead, Daniels spread throws to seven different pass catchers, a sign this receiving group is built on more than just one trait. Robinson and Danzy looked like key pieces because of the size, speed and versatility they bring, and that mix gives Florida State more ways to stress a defense from snap to snap. For an offense still finding its rhythm, that kind of balance can be the difference between being predictable and becoming a problem. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Is Suddenly In The Mix For A Georgia Flip Target
Committed prospects across Georgia are starting to treat game days like open houses, and the ripple effect is being felt well beyond the state line. Nebraska offensive line commit Timi Aliu has already checked out Florida State while still holding to his pledge to the Cornhuskers, a reminder that visits do not always equal movement, but they do keep doors cracked open for programs trying to stay in the conversation.
Alabama, meanwhile, is pushing hard on UConn cornerback commit Preston Glasco, who is set to take a game-day visit to Tuscaloosa as the Crimson Tide continue working the flip market. The broader schedule also has Stanford commit Marquis Fennell heading to Georgia Tech and West Virginia commit Jacobi Pasley lined up for a Florida visit, while the latest slate of game-day stops for top 2028 offensive prospects in Georgia only underscores how much recruiting traffic is building before the season really settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Still Has A Shot With One Electric Georgia Playmaker
Marquis Fennells recruitment is still unfolding, and Florida State remains in the mix as the Valdosta High standout keeps his options open. The Georgia playmaker, who earned the states 6A offensive player of the year honor, is currently committed to Stanford, but he has not shut down the process and continues to stay in contact with other programs while sorting through the next step.
Fennell has visits lined up elsewhere, including Georgia Tech, and his final decision may hinge in part on how Stanford looks under new coach Tavita Pritchard. For Florida State, that at least leaves the door cracked for a player with the kind of electric production that always draws attention, even after a commitment is already on the books. [Read more 🡒]