Miami’s rise under Jai Lucas has already shown up in the first preseason AP poll.
The Hurricanes check in at No. 14 in the 2026-27 rankings, a spot that puts them fourth in the ACC behind No. 2 Duke, No.
9 Virginia and No. 11 Louisville.
It’s a strong early sign for a program coming off what the source describes as the greatest turnaround in D1 NCAA history, and it also means Miami opens the year with a huge test against the No. 1 team in the country.
Lucas isn’t getting caught up in the number next to Miami’s name, though. He knows last season’s 26 wins mattered, but he also made it clear the job is really about where the team lands when the postseason picture comes into focus.
"It may look easy to you; it wasn't easy at all," Lucas said. "It wasn't easy at all, but, it was just the blessing of having the group we had last year and their ability to get better throughout the year and their ability to gel and buy into the plan and buy into what we were talking about. And it's the same thing with this group.
"Hopefully we'll get better throughout the year and being able to plan to gel, and then by the time we get to conference and getting into hopefully January, February, March, we're where we need to be. And that's the goal every year as a coach."
Before that opener against No. 1 Florida, Miami will get one more tune-up.
The Hurricanes host No. 24 Vanderbilt in an exhibition on Oct. 21 at 6:00 p.m.
ET at the Watsco Center.
Lucas said the matchup was chosen with purpose because of what comes next.
"That's why we wanted to make sure our exhibition game was a big-time game because of what the first game is," Lucas said. "And so playing somebody who has size, playing somebody from the same conference, playing somebody who also is really, really good and really well coached was important. So, you take it and we'll treat it like a real game.
"Now, I probably will say we'll probably play more people than we would in a real game. Like everybody will get an opportunity.
We've done that with some of our stuff that we've done so far. And so just getting a good look.
It still is an exhibition game, and that's why you play it, to try to get a better feel. But we'll treat it as much like a real game as possible."
In Other News...
Miami Is 6-0 But One Midseason Concern Won't Go Away
Miami has kept rolling to a 6-0 start and stays firmly in the national conversation, but the unbeaten record has not erased every concern around this team. Even with quarterback Darian Mensah and receiver Malachi Toney delivering standout play, the Hurricanes have had to navigate injuries and uneven stretches that have kept the week-to-week picture from feeling entirely settled.
The biggest issue continues to hover around the offensive front and the running back group, both of which have been affected by injuries and in turn put more pressure on the rest of the offense. On defense, Miami has been sturdy against the run, but the challenge has been clear against mobile quarterbacks and in pass protection, which leaves a real midseason question for a team with bigger goals than just staying undefeated. [Read more 🡒]
Miamis Florida State Win Exposed Who Carried The Canes
Miamis win over Florida State offered a pretty clear snapshot of which Hurricanes players drove the result and which ones left some questions behind. The breakdown leaned on both eye test and Pro Football Focus grades, giving a fuller view of who stacked up in the matchup and who struggled to match the moment in a game that had plenty of physical play and a few injury concerns along the way.
The comparison also surfaced some interesting gaps between what stood out live and what showed up in the grading. A handful of players landed near the top of both lists, while others were viewed much less favorably once the film and the numbers were lined up, leaving a useful if imperfect picture of how Miami got through one of its biggest games and which performances helped carry the Canes. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Can End Notre Dame's Playoff Dream With One More Loss
Miamis rise to No. 1 in the latest AP Top 25 poll has only sharpened the spotlight on what comes next, and Notre Dame is walking into that matchup with plenty on the line. The Irish were already dealing with the sting of a close loss to BYU, a game that ended amid controversy and prompted the Atlantic Coast Conference to announce a review of the officiating at the finish.
Now the schedule has put Notre Dame in a spot where another loss could make its College Football Playoff path far more complicated, even with the expanded 12-team field. For Miami, it is another chance to reinforce its place at the top. For Notre Dame, it is the kind of game that can either steady a season or push the margin for error almost to nothing. [Read more 🡒]