The Miami Hurricanes are entering the 2026 season seeking to back up what the program accomplished a year ago.
The national runner-ups are only returning eight regular starters from a year ago, but they remain a juggernaut in the ACC. This notion is further entrenching by the day, including in earning the #7 ranking in the nation heading into the season.
The high expectations that are in-sight for Miami are positioning themselves to earn a league title in December.
Miami is Class of ACC – For Now
GettyCristobal is Miami’s leading man for the foreseeable future.
The gap between Miami and the rest of the ACC was believed to be massive heading into last season. This wasn’t the case, as Duke and Virginia both ended up reaching the title game.
However, the gap this season appears to be even more substantial. Miami is currently holding 1,379 points in the AP Poll, while #19 SMU is at just 434. Louisville is in the rankings for the moment as well. The Cardinals do face Ole Miss and SMU in the first three weeks of the season, however.
Clemson, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, and Georgia Tech are unranked threats for the time being. However, each of these teams is facing at least one question mark that has the ability to bring them down.
All in all, Miami is receiving a favorable schedule, and is significantly ahead of the rest of the conference on paper.
Miami’s Offense is Positioning to be Elite
Darian Mensah is the addition that head coach Mario Cristobal had to make. The third-year signal caller is coming off of a successful stint at Tulane and Duke. He is now pining to be the third straight Miami quarterback to leave a mark on the program.
Mensah’s strengths are straightforward. He is exceptional at layering the ball and hitting receivers downfield with real touch. He also excels at quickly scanning defenses before the snap and acting with expedience one the ball is snapped.
Mensah has no shortage of weapons in the passing game, which will only aid in his efforts. Malachi Toney, 18, is coming off of one of the best first years any receiver has put forward in recent memory. Cooper Barkate is following Mensah to Miami after a 1,000-yard season with Duke last season. The Hurricanes are also expecting to field a quality offensive line once again in compliment of the “skill position” talent.
Gap Between Miami and Field is Huge
GettyMensah is expecting for a big year with Miami.
The teams that are expecting to challenge Miami simply don’t compare on paper.
While variance (to the degree of Duke winning the conference title) is always possible to take shape, this year feels different. Yes, teams such as SMU and Louisville are profiling to be strong teams on paper. Yes, those two teams roster a promising quarterback.
At the end of the day, the Hurricanes are a well-oiled machine that is possessing the most robust NIL collective in the conference. They are also arguably facing the most favorable schedule in the conference.
It will require a Herculean effort from an opposing team in order to knock the Hurricanes from the top.
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