Miami did not get the kind of preseason respect its fans were hoping for, and the AP made sure the Canes knew it on Monday.
The AP Preseason Top 25 slotted Miami at No. 7, a ranking that landed behind Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, Notre Dame, Georgia and Penn State. For a program many expected to hear a little louder from in August, it was a tough early number to swallow.
That said, Miami wasn’t alone in feeling slighted. Defending champion Indiana came in at No. 6, which is a jarring place to put a team that just won it all. The Hoosiers also managed to pick up eight first-place votes, while Miami got one, meaning nine voters saw those two teams much higher than the rest of the field did.
The top of the poll was straightforward enough: Ohio State opened at No. 1 and Oregon at No. 2. The Buckeyes earned 40 first-place votes, Oregon got 14, Indiana received eight, Notre Dame had six and Miami collected the lone vote.
For Miami, the response now shifts from the rankings to the work. Mario Cristobal addressed the noise the way he usually does - by bringing it back to the field.
“The best way to address that is with real-deal work…we get on it and stay on it…Greentree is a real thing…that’s what you pack with you…”
He said more on the subject, but the message was clear: the answer is work, not outrage.
The AP release also underscored an uphill climb for the ACC entering 2026. The league had the fewest teams in the preseason top 25 among the Power Four conferences, with Miami at No.
7, SMU at No. 19 and Louisville at No. 24.
Clemson was the highest-profile team left just outside the rankings, drawing 112 points, which effectively puts the Tigers at No. 26.
A handful of other ACC programs showed up in the “others receiving votes” section, including Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, California and Virginia.
It’s still August, and the poll only sets the stage. Now the Canes get their chance to change the conversation where it actually matters.
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