Back to Back Losses Have Bracketologists Skeptic of Hurricanes: First Alert
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While Miami fans still feel the sting of the U's loss in the College Football Playoff National Championship, most of the country already has its eyes set towards March as the college basketball slate is in full tilt around the country.
Now firmly established in conference play, the Hurricanes have suffered back-to-back losses against Clemson and Florida State, respectively. According to ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi, the Hurricanes are now predicted to enter the tournament as a 9-seed, which is historically one of the toughest paths to a second game in the Big Dance.
The Hurricanes worked their way up from being outside of the March Madness picture entirely, but first-year head coach Jai Lucas can't afford for his squad to lose steam now throughout the gauntlet of ACC play.
The Hurricanes will see four more ACC foes before squaring off against another top-25 ranked team in Syracuse, Stanford, Cal, and Boston College, in that order. Realistically, if Miami wants to elevate past the 8-9 seed threshold, taking at least three of those games would be a good start before its meeting with North Carolina on Feb. 10.
Countdown to Selection Sunday
52 days until March 15
First Alert: Friday, January 23, 2026
• The National Championship game drew 30.1 million viewers this year, making it the most-watched national championship game since 2014, when Florida State and Auburn squared off in what would be the end of the BCS era. The game was the second-most-watched national championship game ever.
• Per Steve Wiltfong of On3: Miami is trending in the right direction for local 3-star quarterback Davin Davidson. Recruiting experts believe he will be one of the fastest risers in the 2027 position class.
• Due to inclement weather spreading across the southern United States, several ACC basketball games have been either rescheduled or postponed this weekend. The full list can be found at the link.
• Reminder: Both Miami and Indiana's football rosters will have extra time to enter the transfer portal and find destinations for next season due to their appearance in the national championship game. Several Hurricanes, including Ahmad Moten, have already announced their return.
• The 2026 CFP National Champion issue of Sports Illustrated magazine has Mendoza's touchdown on the cover. We won't post it here, but copies can be ordered HERE.
Miami Hurricanes Thursday Results
Women's Basketball: Miami 66, Notre Dame 74
Miami Hurricanes Friday Schedule
Women's Tennis: South Carolina at Miami, 11 a.m. ET
Men's Tennis: Miami at Princeton, 12:30 p.m. ET
Miami Hurricanes Quote of the Day
Two of the best football players I've ever seen, and one happened to be backing up the other for a year.NFL Executive on Ed Reed and Sean Taylor
Countdown to 2026 Miami Hurricanes Baseball Season
21 days (Lehigh at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field, 7 p.m. ET)
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We'll Leave You With This ...
Jason Taylor got another one to work with😳. Saw this young man play 2x live in 2025. He will be a top 10 pick in 2027 draft. https://t.co/k9D9Aa9upA
— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) January 22, 2026
Tanner Marlar is a contributing writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI who has covered collegiate athletics at the local and national levels for nearly a decade, including at Cowbell Country, Mississippi State On SI, Boston College On SI, and Vanderbilt Commodores On SI. As a former beat writer, Tanner strives to give thought provoking and exciting coverage to readers who want to know the very best current information about their team.