![Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Tyler Baron (9) sacks Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz (15) during the season opener at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, August 31, 2024 against the University of Miami Hurricanes in the second half. Miami defeated the Gators 41-17. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_2098,h_1180/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/200/01j6ytsn4gd684x71fa5.jpg "Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Tyler Baron (9) sacks Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz (15) during the season opener at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, August 31, 2024 against the University of Miami Hurricanes in the second half. Miami defeated the Gators 41-17. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]")
After their 41-17 blowout win over Florida on Saturday, Miami is clearly the top team in the State of Florida. The seven Florida Football Bowl Subdivision teams are 3-5 cumulatively after week one concluded. Central Florida and South Florida are the only other FBS teams from Florida to earn wins in week one.
Central Florida beat Football Championship Subdivision team New Hampshire 57-3. South Florida won their season opener 48-3 over FCS Bethune-Cookman. The 0-2 start for Florida State has been well documented. Florida Atlantic and Florida International lost their season openers at Big 10 opponents.
Florida Atlantic was competitive in a 16-10 loss at Michigan State in their season opener. Florida International was blown out 31-7 at Indiana in their season opener. Those are the only Power Conference teams that FAU and FIU will play during the 2024 season.
Florida State and Miami were the only teams in Florida picked near the top of their conference in the preseason media projections. Florida State was picked first in the ACC and Miami was third. The Seminoles have plummeted in those projections after beginning the season 0-2. Miami is now the favorite.
Power ranking the Florida teams:
— Shehan Jeyarajah (@ShehanJeyarajah) September 3, 2024
1. Miami
2. UCF
3. South Florida
4. FAU
5. FIU, presented by Pitbull
Hell: Florida State
Below hell: Florida
Ranking | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
1 | Miami | 1-0 |
2 | Central Florida | 1-0 |
3 | South Florida | 1-0 |
4 | 0-1 | |
5 | Florida | 0-1 |
6 | Florida State | 0-2 |
7 | Florida International | 0-1 |
The impressive Miami destruction of Florida on Saturday earns the Hurricanes the top spot in the Week One State of Florida Power Rankings. Miami is the only FBS team in Florida to win a road game this season. Central Florida and South Florida won their week one games at home.
Florida Atlantic playing Michigan State tough was impressive. FAU was far more competitive in week one than Florida was losing to Miami or Florida State has been with losses in their first two games of the season. Florida State's losses are tougher because both were against ACC opponents.
Florida State has to win the remainder of its ACC games and get a lot of help to have a chance to make the ACC Championship game. The Seminoles won the regular season ACC title in 2023, going 8-0 in the conference. Louisville was second at 7-1 in the ACC. Florida State beat Louisville in the ACC Championship Game.
The expectation after week one should be that Miami makes the ACC Championship game and challenges for a College Football Playoff berth. The other six FBS teams in Florida project to potentially make a bowl game. FIU making a bowl is a long shot. That could be the same for Florida.
Central Florida, Florida State and South Florida should all make bowl games. The FPI projects Central Florida to finish with 8.6 wins and 3.7 losses. Florida State is now projected to finish with 5.7 wins and 6.3 losses. The Seminoles should exceed the FPI projections. FAU is projected to have 6.8 wins and 5.3 losses.