How Miami football compares in ESPN power rankings to national polls
The Miami football team matched their ranking of 19th in the Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today Coaches poll when the Hurricanes were slotted in the same spot in the 2024 "ESPN College Football Preseason Power Rankings."Miami is the third-highest-ranked ACC team.
Florida State who is 10th is the highest ranked ACC team in the ESPN Power Rankings and Clemson is second at 15th. The Seminoles are 10th in the Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Poll. Clemson in 14th in both preseason national polls and Miami is 19th.
There has been a lot of hype during the 2024 offseason about the upgrades Mario Cristobal and his staff have made to the roster. Transfer additions on offense and defense are projected to have major impacts for Miami in 2024. Miami signed the fourth-best 2024 class and the 10th-best transfer class.
Miami's season opener game at Florida on August 31 and Florida State at Hard Rock Stadium on October 26 will receive national attention whether or not Miami is back. Miami also needs to win the games it is expected to in 2024. The Hurricanes are expected to be favored in nine to 10 games entering the 2024 season.
We have college football in less than a week. Time to debate ESPN’s preseason power rankings. https://t.co/rDoYX1sQfo
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) August 19, 2024
"No. 19 Miami Hurricanes
- David Hale, ESPN
Cristobal has been consistently stockpiling talent, and this offseason, the Canes went all-in, adding a host of big names via the transfer portal, including RB Damien Martinez, DE Tyler Baron and QB Cam Ward. The result is arguably the most talented roster in the ACC and lofty expectations for the 2024 season. Miami will offer some evidence...with a critical Week 1 matchup against Florida, but the rest of the schedule sets up well for a real run. Two of Miami's three biggest conference games -- Virginia Tech (Sept. 27) and Florida State (Oct. 26) -- are at home. Miami has never won an ACC title, but 2024 feels like a now-or-never campaign. "
Martinez and Ward project to provide Miami with a balanced offense. Baron is part of an exceptionally deep Miami group of edge rushers. Miami returns 2023 ACC Rookie Defensive Player of the Year Rueben Bain, Akheem Mesidor is back from injury and Elijah Alston transferred in from Marshall.
Miami had the second most talented roster in the ACC in 2024. The 247Sports 2023 Team Talent Composite Rankings had Clemson fifth nationally and Miami 12th. Florida State ranked 20th. Three five-star freshmen will help elevate the talent on the 2024 Miami roster.
Edge rusher Marquise Lightfoot, defensive lineman Armondo Blount and defensive tackle Justin Scott gave Miami three five-star signees in the 2024 class. Scott is the most likely to receive signficant snaps from those three in 2024. Breaking into the edge rushing rotation will be difficult for Lightfoot and Blount adds versatility.
Miami only leaves the state of Florida four times in 2024. At South Florida in the final non-conference game of 2024 on September 21 could potentially be a trap game for Miami. South Florida played Alabama well before losing 17-3 in Tampa during the 2023 season. Miami has to be ready for South Florida.
At Louisville on October 19 is the third of the three biggest 2024 conference games referenced by Hale. Playing on the road against an ACC contender the week before hosting Florida State is the Miami gauntlet in 2024. If Miami can at least split with Florida State and Louisville they will be a contender in the ACC.
dark. Next. Miami picked in ACC exactly where they were expected to be. Miami picked in ACC exactly where they were expected to be
Miami will know if it is an ACC contender by the end of October. Miami's November schedule sets up nicely with Duke, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Syracuse. Miami should be a comfortable favorite in all four of their November games. Winning those games will be critical to Miami's ACC Championship aspirations.