Miami football 17th in consensus preseason polls after spring

The Miami football team is ranked 17th in the preseason polls following the conclusion of spring practice. Polls from 247Sports, CBS Sports, ESPN’s Football Power Index, Sporting News and College Football News. Miami received 40 points according to the consensus poll conducted by 247 Sports.

Miami was third among the three ACC teams in the rankings. The Hurricanes ACC Coastal Divison rival North Carolina is ranked 10th and perennial national championship contender Clemson is ranked second not surprisingly behind defending national champion Alabama. Clemson has won six straight ACC Championships.

The Crimson Tide and Tigers have combined to win five of the last six College Football Playoff Championships. Miami finished 7-2 in the ACC last season with their only two losses to the Tigers and Tar Heels. Miami was embarrassed in those games. If the Hurricanes hope to take the next step the game against UNC is critical.

After getting blown out by the Tar Heels at home in 2020, the Miami football team travels to Chapel Hill this season. With the Atlantic and Coastal Divisions reinstated for the 2021 season, the game between Miami and North Carolina this fall is considered by many analysts to be the de facto division championship game.

Alabama who Miami plays in the season opener on September 4 in Atlanta and North Carolina are the only two teams on the Hurricanes schedule who are ranked in the consensus top 25. Oklahoma State who Miami lost to in the Cheez-it Bowl last season is ranked 20th and Texas A&M who Miami plays in 2022 is sixth.

Other notables who are ranked include Notre Dame who is back to being an independent in 2021 after playing in the ACC in 2020 and Florida who are tied for eighth. Being in the consensus preseason rankings is a tribute to the 8-3 season Miami had in 2020 and the return of 19 starters from last season.

The return of quarterback D’Eriq King for a sixth season of college football after taking advantage of the extra season of eligibility granted by the NCAA was the most critical offseason development for Miami. Miami faces another challenging schedule with Appalachian State and Michigan State part of the non-conference schedule.

In addition to the Crimson Tide, Mountaineers and Spartans, Miami plays FCS Central Connecticut State before beginning ACC play on Thursday, September 30 against Virginia. Building on the 2020 season with a strong recruiting class signed in 2021 will help Miami build towards the future and sign another top 15 class in 2022.