With the 2026 college football season less than two months away, ESPN has released its latest Football Power Index (FPI), and Miami comes in at No. 7 nationally. While the AP Poll won’t be released until closer to kickoff, the FPI gives an early look at how one of college football’s most respected projection models views the landscape heading into the season.
The Hurricanes find themselves in elite company. Only Ohio State, Texas, Notre Dame, Oregon, Georgia, and defending national champion Indiana are ranked ahead of Miami. The Canes also sit in front of traditional powers like Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Tennessee, Clemson, and Florida, showing just how highly ESPN’s FPI views this roster.
Unlike preseason polls that are based on opinions, the FPI projects team strength using returning production, roster talent, transfer additions, and schedule difficulty. Miami landing at No. 7 shows just how good these Canes really are.
There’s no shortage of talent in Coral Gables. Quarterback Darian Mensah steps into one of the biggest roles in college football, while playmakers like Mark Fletcher, Malachi Toney, Cooper Barkate, Damon Wilson, Justin Scott, Ahmad Moten, and OJ Frederique Jr. gives Miami one of the deeper rosters in the country. If those players perform the way they’re expected to, the Hurricanes have the pieces to compete with anyone on their schedule and go back to the National Championship
The ACC also earned plenty of respect in the rankings, with Miami leading the conference at No. 7. Clemson came in at No. 19, while SMU landed at No. 24. That makes Miami the conference’s highest-ranked team entering the season and one of only three ACC programs to crack the top 25.
Now comes the part that matters most. Preseason rankings don’t decide championships, but they do show how a team is viewed nationally. Miami has the respect. The expectations are there. The only thing left is proving that No. 7 is just the starting point, not the ceiling.
TOP 25:
No.1 Ohio State
No. 2 Texas
No.3 Notre Dame
No. 4 Oregon
No. 5 Georgia
No. 6 Indiana
No. 7 Miami
No. 8 Alabama
No. 9 LSU
No. 10 Texas Tech
No. 11 Texas A&M
No. 12 Oklahoma
No. 13 USC
No. 14 Ole Miss
No. 15 Michigan
No. 16 Tennessee
No. 17 Penn State
No. 18 Florida
No. 19 Clemson
No. 20 BYU
No. 21 Missouri
No. 22 Auburn
No. 23 South Carolina
No. 24 SMU
No. 25 Iowa
Which of the top 25 selections surprised you the most?
The Hurricanes find themselves in elite company. Only Ohio State, Texas, Notre Dame, Oregon, Georgia, and defending national champion Indiana are ranked ahead of Miami. The Canes also sit in front of traditional powers like Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Tennessee, Clemson, and Florida, showing just how highly ESPN’s FPI views this roster.
Unlike preseason polls that are based on opinions, the FPI projects team strength using returning production, roster talent, transfer additions, and schedule difficulty. Miami landing at No. 7 shows just how good these Canes really are.
There’s no shortage of talent in Coral Gables. Quarterback Darian Mensah steps into one of the biggest roles in college football, while playmakers like Mark Fletcher, Malachi Toney, Cooper Barkate, Damon Wilson, Justin Scott, Ahmad Moten, and OJ Frederique Jr. gives Miami one of the deeper rosters in the country. If those players perform the way they’re expected to, the Hurricanes have the pieces to compete with anyone on their schedule and go back to the National Championship
The ACC also earned plenty of respect in the rankings, with Miami leading the conference at No. 7. Clemson came in at No. 19, while SMU landed at No. 24. That makes Miami the conference’s highest-ranked team entering the season and one of only three ACC programs to crack the top 25.
Now comes the part that matters most. Preseason rankings don’t decide championships, but they do show how a team is viewed nationally. Miami has the respect. The expectations are there. The only thing left is proving that No. 7 is just the starting point, not the ceiling.
TOP 25:
No.1 Ohio State
No. 2 Texas
No.3 Notre Dame
No. 4 Oregon
No. 5 Georgia
No. 6 Indiana
No. 7 Miami
No. 8 Alabama
No. 9 LSU
No. 10 Texas Tech
No. 11 Texas A&M
No. 12 Oklahoma
No. 13 USC
No. 14 Ole Miss
No. 15 Michigan
No. 16 Tennessee
No. 17 Penn State
No. 18 Florida
No. 19 Clemson
No. 20 BYU
No. 21 Missouri
No. 22 Auburn
No. 23 South Carolina
No. 24 SMU
No. 25 Iowa
Which of the top 25 selections surprised you the most?
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