Miami’s football team just got the kind of boost that turns a strong season into a statement season.
The Hurricanes, still unbeaten after surviving North Carolina 38-35 on Saturday, landed at No. 1 in the first College Football Playoff rankings of 2026. It’s the first time Miami has ever been placed atop the committee’s list since the rankings started in 2014.
The bigger jolt came a few spots down the board. Notre Dame, which comes in ranked No. 4 in the AP Top 25 and visits Miami in one of the biggest games on the schedule, opened at No. 11 in the CFP rankings.
The Fighting Irish are 7-1 and are sitting behind three two-loss teams, including No. 5 Alabama, No.
7 Texas and No. 10 Ole Miss.
Behind Miami, Georgia checked in at No. 2, Utah was No. 3 and defending national champion Indiana landed at No.
- Kentucky came in at No. 6, while unbeaten UCLA was slotted eighth.
Miami and Wake Forest, ranked No. 16, were the ACC’s only teams in the committee’s first top 25.
Saturday’s win over UNC also gave Mark Fletcher Jr. a place in the program record book. He scored three touchdowns against the Tar Heels and became Miami’s all-time leader in combined rushing and receiving touchdowns with 38. Fletcher also tied Stephen McGuire’s school record of 35 career rushing touchdowns.
The weekend also brought another round of ProCanes in NFL Week 8.
Cam Ward turned in his first career 300-yard passing game for the Tennessee Titans, going 26 of 40 for 304 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He added 41 rushing yards on seven carries in Tennessee’s 43-36 overtime loss to Cincinnati.
Greg Rousseau helped Buffalo roll past Baltimore 36-10 with three tackles, one sack and two passes defended. Kamren Kinchens posted seven tackles, including four solo stops, in the Los Angeles Rams’ 24-9 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Andy Borregales went 1 for 2 on field goals, making from 34 yards, and hit all three extra points in New England’s 24-19 victory over Miami.
On the hardwood, both Hurricanes basketball programs have already opened their 2026-27 seasons.
No. 14 Miami men’s basketball dropped its opener 77-67 to No.
1 Florida on Monday in Jai Lucas’ second season at the helm. Acaden Lewis led the way with 24 points on 9-of-20 shooting in his Miami debut.
Somto Cyril added 13 points and seven rebounds, while Shelton Henderson finished with seven points and nine rebounds. For Florida, Thomas Haugh posted 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Rueben Chinyelu controlled the glass with 14 rebounds.
Miami is back home Friday, Nov. 6, against Wagner at 9 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
The women’s team had a much cleaner start. Miami beat Florida Atlantic 75-48 on Monday behind a career-high 21 points from junior Ahnay Adams, who shot 8 of 10 and added eight rebounds.
Gal Raviv and Soma Okolo each scored 11 points, and Gianna Corbitt led the team with 10 rebounds. The Hurricanes host Jacksonville on Thursday at 7 p.m.
ET.
Miami baseball also revealed its 2027 regular-season schedule, a 54-game slate that includes 31 home games and 30 ACC games. The Hurricanes will open Feb. 19 at home against New Haven.
And on the recruiting front, Miami is one of three finalists for five-star 2028 wide receiver Brysen Wright, who is expected to announce his college decision Thursday, Nov. 5. He is choosing between Miami, Florida and Texas.
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Miami Fans Feared The Worst Until Irvins Real Message Hit
Michael Irvin sent Miami fans into a brief panic with a message he posted online, but the concern turned out to be about football, not his health. The Hall of Famer is fine, and the real source of his frustration is the loss of wide receiver Malachi Toney, who is set to miss an upcoming game after ankle surgery.
Toney is expected to be sidelined for at least four weeks, leaving Miami to adjust without one of its pass-catching options as the season moves into a crucial stretch. The hope around the program is that he can work his way back in time for the College Football Playoff, which gives the injury a different kind of urgency even if the immediate scare around Irvin has passed. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Just Landed An Elite Receiver With An Extra Twist
Miami added another big piece to its receiver pipeline with the commitment of Brysen Wright, one of the nations top wideout prospects. Wright had plenty of high-major options, but Miami had been in the mix for a while, helped by the fact that he has made repeated visits and taken part in events around the program. For a Hurricanes staff trying to keep momentum on the recruiting trail, landing a player with his profile is the kind of move that can resonate well beyond a single pledge.
The extra twist is Wrights timeline, which changes the way Miami can plan around him and the rest of its class. His decision to reclassify to the 2027 cycle gives the Hurricanes a longer runway with a receiver who already arrives with strong high school production and plenty of attention attached to his name. With the Early Signing Period still ahead, Miamis class just got a little more dangerous, and there may still be more to come. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Lands No. 1 As Early CFP Debate Heats Up
The first College Football Playoff rankings of 2026 gave Miami exactly the kind of spotlight an unbeaten start can earn. The Hurricanes landed at No. 1 when the selection committee unveiled its initial top 25, putting them ahead of a field that also includes Georgia, Utah, Indiana and Alabama in the top five.
Now the real pressure begins, because these rankings are only a snapshot and the schedule ahead is expected to keep reshaping the conversation. With several ranked teams still lined up for key games, Miami will have to keep proving it belongs at the top while the committee watches how the rest of the contenders handle the next round of tests. [Read more 🡒]