No. 1 Florida wasted no time looking the part Monday night, knocking off No.
14 Miami 77-67 to open the 2026-27 season in Tampa. The Gators got the kind of performance that makes the ranking feel earned, with Thomas Haugh leading the way in a game that had the feel of an early-season measuring stick.
Haugh, a national player of the year candidate who passed on the NBA Draft to return for his senior season, finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds. He also matched the best 3-point shooting night of his college career, drilling four of eight attempts from deep. The last time he hit four triples in a game was against Texas Tech in the 2025 Elite Eight, a run that ended with Florida winning the national title that year.
That matters because this Florida team is built around a core that has already been through the fire. Seven months ago, the Gators were stunned by Iowa in this same building, Benchmark International Arena, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu, Alex Condon, Boogie Fland and Urban Klavžar were all part of that group. Florida also brought back Denzel Aberdeen, who was on the Gators’ 2025 national title team before transferring to Kentucky and then returning this offseason.
Aberdeen is among the players granted a fifth year of eligibility.
Before the season, Chinyelu was already talking like a player expecting another deep run. In an interview with CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander, when asked to fill in the blank on what it would take for Florida to win its second national title in three seasons, Chinyelu said there would be no "what if" and that his team was "winning it."
That kind of confidence can sound bold on paper. On the floor against Miami, it looked a lot more believable.
Haugh’s night was the headline, but Florida’s front line may have been the most intimidating part of the whole operation. Haugh, Chinyelu and Condon brought constant physical pressure on both ends, creating second-chance opportunities and making the lane miserable for Miami. Even with the Hurricanes going big with Henderson/Caleb Gaskins/Malik Reneau, Florida’s size and force still won out.
That trio gives the Gators a rare luxury. They can pound teams inside, then change the look by bringing in Klavžar and going smaller without losing much edge. Against Miami, that versatility showed up as Florida controlled the game and looked every bit like a team capable of making another serious run.
Miami, for its part, walked into a brutal opening assignment. Outside of maybe Duke, this was about as tough a first opponent as the Hurricanes could have drawn.
There’s no embarrassment in losing to the top-ranked team in the country, especially one that looks this complete. The Hurricanes do have a friendlier stretch coming after this, though they’ll still see Alabama and Texas before opening ACC play against NC State right before New Year’s Eve.
Jai Lucas should still have plenty to work with, and this game may end up helping Miami down the line. A rematch later in the season would not be hard to imagine.
The bright spot for the Hurricanes was Acaden Lewis. The Villanova transfer scored a game-high 24 points and looked composed running the offense.
After a strong freshman season, he appears ready for a major leap in Year 2 under Lucas. His shotmaking stood out, and it would not be a surprise if he finishes as Miami’s leading scorer this season.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Suddenly Hands Miami A Huge Opening In South Bend
Notre Dames injury report ahead of its matchup with Miami gives the Hurricanes a little more reason to believe they can walk into South Bend and make things uncomfortable. The Irish are dealing with a cluster of absences on both sides of the ball, including defensive tackle Francis Brewu, who is questionable with a left knee injury, and captain linebacker Drayk Bowen, who has already been ruled out with a right ankle injury. Add in the loss of multiple other defensive linemen and a pair of offensive linemen, and the depth chart suddenly looks a lot thinner than it did a few days ago.
For Miami, the timing matters. Any trip to Notre Dame Stadium is a major test, but the Hurricanes now have a clearer path to attacking a front that may not be at full strength and a defense missing one of its most important leaders. The full picture still depends on how Notre Dames questionable players respond closer to kickoff, but the opening is real, and Miami will know it has a chance to press an Irish team that is already shorthanded in some critical spots. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Faces Its Toughest Test Yet With Everything On The Line
The stage could hardly be bigger for Miami, which heads to South Bend on Nov. 7 with the No. 1 ranking and a matchup against No. 4 Notre Dame that carries the feel of a season-defining November night. It is the kind of game that brings the rivalrys history back into focus, while also putting the spotlight on the players who have driven both teams into the national championship conversation.
For the Hurricanes, Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney will be central to whatever they do offensively, and Notre Dame has its own answer in quarterback CJ Carr. With both teams arriving highly ranked and playing with plenty on the line, this one has the ingredients of a playoff-caliber measuring stick, even before a single snap is taken in South Bend. [Read more 🡒]
Elija Lofton Is Giving Miami A New Reason To Feel Dangerous
Elija Lofton has quietly become one of the more interesting pieces in Miamis offense over the last six games, and the junior tight ends expanded role has started to show up in the kind of moments that matter. Against UNC, he caught three passes for 48 yards and helped keep a key drive alive with a 12-yard grab that extended the lead, a sequence that fit the growing sense that Miami has found another reliable option in the passing game.
Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson singled out Loftons work on that scoring drive, a sign that the Hurricanes are beginning to trust him in bigger spots. For an offense looking to keep defenses honest, having a tight end who can step into a pivotal role changes the picture a little, and Loftons recent usage suggests Miami may have found another matchup problem to lean on as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]