Miami football is mourning the loss of former defensive lineman Allen Bailey, who died at 37.
Bailey arrived in Coral Gables as one of Randy Shannon’s top signees in the 2007 class, coming out of McIntosh County Academy in Darien, Georgia. He was part of a strong recruiting haul that also included wide receiver Leonard Hankerson and defensive back Demarcus Van Dyke.
On the field, Bailey became a difference-maker for the Hurricanes from 2007 through 2010. He earned first-team All-ACC honors in 2009 and second-team All-ACC recognition in 2010, piling up seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss in both of those seasons. Over his Miami career, he finished with 19 sacks and 30 tackles for loss.
The NFL came calling in the third round, where the Kansas City Chiefs took him 86th overall. Bailey spent eight seasons in Kansas City and turned in his best stretch in the middle of that run.
In 2014, he posted 41 tackles, five sacks and 10 tackles for loss. He followed that with 38 tackles, 4.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss in 2015.
Kansas City rewarded him with a four-year, $25 million deal, but injuries slowed him down in 2016 and 2017. He bounced back with six sacks in 2018, then moved on to the Atlanta Falcons as a free agent in 2019. Bailey finished his NFL career in Atlanta and retired in 2021 after being released.
Tributes started pouring in from former teammates on social media. Anthony Chickillo, from the Hurricanes’ 2011 recruiting class, shared a photo of himself and Bailey flashing the “U” after a Chiefs-Steelers game. Colin McCarthy, who played with Bailey at Miami, also posted a tribute on his X account.
“Lost a fellow brother today… prayers to AB family! Love you Big Cuzzo! pic.twitter.com/Pez2kUV8A8”
The messages kept circling back to the same things: Bailey’s personality, his kindness and the path he carved from a small island off the east coast of Georgia to high school standout, All-ACC Cane and 10-year NFL veteran.
Miami’s latest win over Florida State also continued to deliver big numbers on television.
Even with the game moved to ESPN instead of ABC and going up against Notre Dame-BYU, the Hurricanes and Seminoles drew a massive audience and peaked at 5 million viewers. It was the most-watched ESPN game of the week and the fifth-most-watched of the season.
Last season’s meeting, when both teams were ranked, reached 7.3 million viewers in a primetime ABC slot.
And after a huge night against Florida State, Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney picked up more than just attention in the rankings. His Heisman odds on FanDuel jumped from +6500 to +1600, and he also won the Paul Hornung Award for National Player of the Week.
Toney was electric in the double-overtime win. He caught 11 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns, added 31 rushing yards on two carries, and even completed a pass for a two-point conversion in the second overtime.
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Miami Just Got A Huge Recruiting Chance It Couldnt Afford To Lose
A prized recruiting visit is headed to Hard Rock Stadium this weekend, and Miami has plenty at stake with it. DJ Jacobs, the five-star edge rusher in the 2027 class who is committed to Ohio State, is expected to be on hand for the Hurricanes' home game along with his younger brother Dawson Jacobs, a four-star defensive line prospect. Mario Cristobal and his staff have kept the door open with DJ, and the timing gives Miami another chance to make its case in front of two defensive prospects who could matter a lot to the programs future.
The visit comes at a useful moment for the Hurricanes, whose 2027 class has room for more movement after a recent decommitment. Miami has been trying to stay involved with DJ Jacobs while also working on the broader picture with the brothers, but their recruitment remains unsettled for now. For a program looking to turn visits into traction, getting both Jacobs brothers on campus gives the Hurricanes a chance they could not really afford to miss. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Rivalry Win Took A Dark Turn For Damon Wilson II
Miamis win over Florida State should have been remembered as another sharp-edged chapter in the rivalry, but it quickly carried into a much uglier space for Damon Wilson II. After the game, Wilson revealed that he had received alleged racist messages on Instagram from Kade McLendon, an employee of The Florida Bar, turning a celebratory night for the Hurricanes into one with an immediate off-field fallout.
The Florida Bar responded by placing McLendon on administrative leave and opening an internal investigation into the messages, which are said to violate the organizations social media policy. The inquiry is ongoing, and the Bar has said it intends to enforce its policies while also protecting due process rights, leaving the situation still unfolding even as the football result itself is long settled. [Read more 🡒]
Miamis New No. 1 Reality Gets Tested Right Away Against Pitt
For the first time since 2002, Miami is walking into a week as the No. 1 team in college football, and the timing hardly gives the Hurricanes a chance to settle in. The ACC matchup with Pitt arrives immediately, turning a long-awaited ranking into an instant test, with Mario Cristobal fielding questions about how his team handles the attention and a run game that has helped carry the Canes lately.
There is also the familiar fall-week uncertainty around injuries, though Miami appears set to have key pieces available in Mark Fletcher Jr. and Bryce Fitzgerald. Pitt, meanwhile, brings its own layer of intrigue with Pat Narduzzi addressing the quarterback situation before the game, adding another variable to a meeting that already feels like a measuring stick for how real Miamis new status is. [Read more 🡒]