The Miami Hurricanes are entering the 2025 college football season with heightened expectations, and a higher ranking, as reflected in ESPN's first release of its 2025 Football Power Index (FPI) rankings. According to the FPI, Miami is ranked No. 9 nationally, boasting a projected 9.7 wins, a 46.3% chance to make the College Football Playoff (CFP), and a 3.2% probability of securing the national championship.
This optimistic outlook follows a 2024 season where the Hurricanes finished 10–3, narrowly missing the ACC Championship Game after a late-season loss to Syracuse. Under head coach Mario Cristobal, now in his fourth year, Miami aims to capitalize on its momentum and make a significant impact in the 12-team CFP.
A key factor in Miami's projected success is the acquisition of quarterback Carson Beck, a transfer from Georgia. Beck is expected to fill the void left by Cam Ward. Despite recovering from elbow surgery and a turnover-heavy 2024 campaign, Beck hopes to return to form and raise his NFL Draft stock.
In addition to the release of the FPI rankings, the ESPN writing staff also took a deep dive into who is undervalued, overvalued, and added their sleeper picks. Here is what one of the staffers wrote about Miami:
"The crux of the hype surrounding the Hurricanes hinges on their biggest portal addition, quarterback Carson Beck. After losing Cameron Ward to the draft, Cristobal & Co. are banking on Beck (who is coming off surgery for a torn UCL in his right elbow) to be the guy who was supposed to lead Georgia to a national title. Count me among the skeptics."Paulo Uggetti
Uggetti does also mention the additions from the transfer portal. WR's CJ Daniels from LSU, Keelan Marion from BYU and Tony Johnson from Cincinnati, as well as cornerback Xavier Lucas out of Wisconsin and safety Zechariah Poyser from Jacksonville State are the main additions Uggetti listed.
Miami's 2025 schedule presents several matchups that could influence their CFP aspirations. The season opener against Notre Dame on August 31 at Hard Rock Stadium stands out as a tone-setter for the season. Other big matchups include a home game against Florida on September 20 and a road game at Florida State on October 4.
In the broader context of the FPI rankings, Miami is the highest-ranked team from the ACC with Clemson being the next closest at No. 11.