Miami will play in the Players' Era Sixteen in Las Vegas during Thanksgiving Week. The other teams in the single elimination tournament are Alabama, Gonzaga, St. John's, Louisville, Tennessee, Iowa State, Texas Tech, Baylor, Maryland, TCU, Oregon, Creighton, San Diego State, and Kansas State.
Miami did not play any of the other teams in the Players' Era 16 during the 2025-26 season. Florida and Miami will once again play a non-conference game during the 2026-27 season. The four games in the Players' Era Sixteen, Florida and the ACC-SEC Challenge provide Miami with a formidable non-conference schedule.
Jeff Borzello of ESPN announced his network is now the exclusive broadcast partner of the Players' ERA eight and sixteen-team tournaments. The 2026 Players' Era Tournament will be the first with a bracket format. The Players' Era tournament previously gave each team two games, with the third one based on record and scoring margin.
Per Borzello, "Of the 24 teams across the two tournaments, 13 made the 2026 NCAA tournament and 10 are ranked in ESPN's most recent Way-Too-Early Top 25." Ten teams in the 2026 Players' Era Sixteen Tournament played in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
https://t.co/RDiteqh4kB pic.twitter.com/x7QCADo5JU
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) May 7, 2026
Players' Era Sixteen Deep Field
Seven teams in the Players' Era Sixteen Tournament are ranked in the ESPN Way-Too-Early Top 25, including Miami. If the opening round is seeded according to the rankings, Miami should be favored in its opening game and then play more difficult opponents if they advance in the tournament.
The Players' Era 16 will provide Miami with a great early-season test that should prepare them for the NCAA Tournament nearly four months later. Miami head coach Jai Lucas will quickly know what he has with his 2026-27 team based on the results at the Players' Era Sixteen, playing Florida and in the ACC-SEC Challenge.
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