Where Miami Lands in ESPN's Early College Football Playoff Projections

Trinton Breeze

Jan 23, 2026 2 min read

Miami’s run last season still feels a little unreal.

The Hurricanes pasted through the College Football Playoff, beating teams like Texas A&M in the opening round, taking down No. 2 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, then heading west to beat Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl. The ride ended with a loss to Indiana in the national title game, but the Hurricanes seem to be back at the top.

And ESPN doesn’t think that was a one-year thing.

In its early look at the 2026 College Football Playoff field, ESPN has Miami coming in as the No. 8 seed, actually two spots higher than where the Hurricanes entered this past postseason.

Here’s how ESPN’s projected CFP field shakes out:

1. Indiana
2. Georgia
3. Texas Tech
4. Notre Dame
5. USC
6. Texas A&M
7. Ohio State
8. Miami
9. Oregon
10. Texas
11. Oklahoma State
12. Hawai‘i

That sets up a first-round matchup of No. 9 Oregon at No. 8 Miami, with the winner getting top-seeded Indiana. Yes, that’s another Mario Cristobal storyline waiting to happen, with a potential CFP rematch looming right behind it.

ESPN ultimately predicts Oregon to beat Miami in the opening round, but just getting the Hurricanes comfortably into the field again says plenty about where this program is viewed nationally.

There’s more good news.

ESPN also has Miami winning the ACC. Even with some key losses, the Hurricanes bring back running back Mark Fletcher Jr. and wide receiver Malachi Toney, with Duke transfer Darian Mensah expected to step in at quarterback.

The ACC has been unpredictable lately, SMU made the CFP and Duke won the conference this past season, but ESPN sees Miami as the team to beat heading into 2026.

The Hurricanes are right back where they believe they belong: in the playoff mix with bigger goals ahead.

Click to expand...

Facebook X Bluesky LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp Email Link

Comments (33)

View article View as thread

LuCane

Jan 23, 2026

Calinative said:
All their coaches ..

Their schedule is pure trash, but still would be surprised if they duplicate what we saw this year. Getting tiresome reading and listening to those coaches act like they invented football. Watched too many of their games and our sloppy approach, along with their shaky game management in the 2nd half, to buy the level of bull**** they’re selling. Credit for the 2025 year. No credit for scheduling a 2026 list of dead ducks. No credit for sustaining it yet. We’ll see.

TheOriginalCane

Jan 23, 2026

Trinton Breeze said:
Miami’s run last season still feels a little unreal.

The Hurricanes pasted through the College Football Playoff, beating teams like Texas A&M in the opening round, taking down No. 2 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, then heading west to beat Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl. The ride ended with a loss to Indiana in the national title game, but the Hurricanes seem to be back at the top.

And ESPN doesn’t think that was a one-year thing.

In its early look at the 2026 College Football Playoff field, ESPN has Miami coming in as the No. 8 seed, actually two spots higher than where the Hurricanes entered this past postseason.

Here’s how ESPN’s projected CFP field shakes out:

1. Indiana
2. Georgia
3. Texas Tech
4. Notre Dame
5. USC
6. Texas A&M
7. Ohio State
8. Miami
9. Oregon
10. Texas
11. Oklahoma State
12. Hawai‘i

That sets up a first-round matchup of No. 9 Oregon at No. 8 Miami, with the winner getting top-seeded Indiana. Yes, that’s another Mario Cristobal storyline waiting to happen, with a potential CFP rematch looming right behind it.

ESPN ultimately predicts Oregon to beat Miami in the opening round, but just getting the Hurricanes comfortably into the field again says plenty about where this program is viewed nationally.

There’s more good news.

ESPN also has Miami winning the ACC. Even with some key losses, the Hurricanes bring back running back Mark Fletcher Jr. and wide receiver Malachi Toney, with Duke transfer Darian Mensah expected to step in at quarterback.

The ACC has been unpredictable lately, SMU made the CFP and Duke won the conference this past season, but ESPN sees Miami as the team to beat heading into 2026.

The Hurricanes are right back where they believe they belong: in the playoff mix with bigger goals ahead.

Annnnnd, ESPN still hasn't learned...

B
Biltoc24

Jan 23, 2026

Stats02 said:
USC at #4 won't happen and Oklahoma State at #11? Did they mean Oklahoma? Oklahoma State might not win 4 games next year.

It’s a terrible list and I wouldn’t expect OSU in the playoffs but they got the coach and players from North Texas. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re substantially better given the Big XII isn’t good at all after the top tier teams.

RF-4CCane

Jan 23, 2026

Let’s pull the receipts on ESPN’s 2025 Way too Early Top 25, shall we?

1. PSU
2. Clemson
3. Texas
4. UGA
5. OSU
6. LSU
7. ND
8. Oregon
9. Bama
10. BYU

6 of their Top 10 didn’t even make the playoffs.
ESPN couldn’t find its ***, if they used both hands and had a map.

Stingarov

Jan 23, 2026

Handsome Squidbum said:
I expect to be a top 4 seed. Think we run the table and win the ACC. Dont think Indiana will be as good without Mendoza.

And I am on drugs or is that Hawaii listed as the 12 seed?

Dont think Indiana will be as good without the 37 JMU 26 year olds, either.

LuCane

Jan 23, 2026

RF-4CCane said:
Let’s pull the receipts on ESPN’s 2025 Way too Early Top 25, shall we?

1. PSU
2. Clemson
3. Texas
4. UGA
5. OSU
6. LSU
7. ND
8. Oregon
9. Bama
10. BYU

6 of their Top 10 didn’t even make the playoffs.
ESPN couldn’t find its ***, if they used both hands and had a map.

Beyond that, Clemson, to me, was one of the most overrated team ever. Said that before the season, so no revisionist history. Just pure bad projection about returning production and supposed draft prospects.

Fart Keyhole

Jan 23, 2026

RF-4CCane said:
Let’s pull the receipts on ESPN’s 2025 Way too Early Top 25, shall we?

1. PSU
2. Clemson
3. Texas
4. UGA
5. OSU
6. LSU
7. ND
8. Oregon
9. Bama
10. BYU

6 of their Top 10 didn’t even make the playoffs.
ESPN couldn’t find its ***, if they used both hands and had a map.

Bama and Oregon were the two biggest paper tigers, too. So the only legitimate teams on that list were UGA (weakest Dawg team in half a decade) and Taint.

Tinman64

Jan 24, 2026

ageezy said:
they suggesting indiana gonna be number one again?

Nice story…ends after 1 year

PennsylvaniaCane

Jan 24, 2026

We better win the ACC or be a top 9 team otherwise we get left out. If the new rules were in effect this year it would have been Duke and ND in the playoffs.

Tinman64

Jan 24, 2026

PennsylvaniaCane said:
We better win the ACC or be a top 9 team otherwise we get left out. If the new rules were in effect this year it would have been Duke and ND in the playoffs.

Yup cant have any slip ups….notre dame gets auto bid every year why i hate that school they act like their the vatican

PennsylvaniaCane

Jan 24, 2026

Tinman64 said:
Yup cant have any slip ups….notre dame gets auto bid every year why i hate that school they act like their the vatican

wtf were the conference presidents thinking agreeing to that. If I was a member school I’d be ****ed beyond belief.

Hegemon

Jan 24, 2026

LuCane said:
Beyond that, Clemson, to me, was one of the most overrated team ever. Said that before the season, so no revisionist history. Just pure bad projection about returning production and supposed draft prospects.

Lu in the spirit of watching you post for 2 decades. What is your way to early no I told you so top 10 list headed into 2026?

In no order for me but spitballing:

UM
UGA
LSU
Texas
ND
OSU
A&M
Oregon
Michigan
Alabama (just because we know the drill)

I have no idea who TTU and Indiana return

I'm assuming Im leaving off someone

No I dont trust USC what so ever. LOL at Hawaii

filmcane

Jan 24, 2026

Hegemon said:
Lu in the spirit of watching you post for 2 decades. What is your way to early no I told you so top 10 list headed into 2026?

In no order for me but spitballing:

UM
UGA
LSU
Texas
ND
OSU
A&M
Oregon
Michigan
Alabama (just because we know the drill)

I have no idea who TTU and Indiana return

I'm assuming Im leaving off someone

No I dont trust USC what so ever. LOL at Hawaii

Right???/