See Where the Miami Hurricanes Rank in the FPI After Week 1
It's the first Sunday of the college football season and there's no AP Poll yet, which means we're relegated to using the ESPN FPI (Football Power Index) until after Monday evening's Clemson vs. Georgia Tech contest.
After a 70-13 shellacking of (FCS) Bethune-Cookman, Miami Hurricanes fans are wondering where their team ranks among the nation's best.
That 57-point victory in head coach Mario Cristobal's first game has catapulted the Hurricanes to a seat in the FPI's top 10, sitting at No. 9.
The Wildcats were an FCS opponent, and admittedly not a very good one, but Miami took care of business and looked like a true Power 5 juggernaut.
Their ninth-ranked status makes the Canes the second highest ACC team on the power index, with Clemson sitting at No.4 for now. The next closest ACC team is Pittsburgh, who comes in at 25th after their own opening-win over West Virginia Thursday.
Miami's also the highest ranked team in the state at the moment, with Florida at 24th and Florida State at 36th. It's still extremely early on, but that has to be something Canes fans are going to love to gloat about. UM will face a tougher test next week when Southern Miss (0-1) comes to town, but another storm force performance is expected from the Hurricanes.
The first game under Cristobal has to be considered a success. Hard Rock Stadium was uncharacteristically packed and the Canes, at times, looked like they could become a legitimate contender for the ACC crown this season.
With the announcement of a 12-team playoff format to begin in the coming years, it's imperative that Miami makes themselves a mainstay in the top 10. This may not be a playoff year for Cristobal and the Canes, but with the way they're recruiting and the buzz around the program, you have to think it may not be far off.
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