Where the Miami Hurricanes Stand in Initial College Football Playoff Ranking

MIAMI, Fla. – The initial College Football Playoff rankings were revealed on Tuesday night and the Miami Hurricanes stand at the very top at No. 1 by the Selection Committee.

It's no surprise as they are one of three Power Four programs to remain undefeated, alongside the Utah Utes (No. 3; Big 12) and UCLA Bruins (No. 8; Big 10).

The Hurricanes have been mostly dominant throughout the first eight games of this season. In the first four, they won by an average margin of 42.8 points, including a 77-7 outing against Florida A&M on Sept. 10. The Hurricanes currently have the Football Bowl Subdivision completion percentage leader in quarterback Darian Mensah (80.7), who has orchestrated the highest-scoring offense (averaging 47.6 points).

Following last Saturday's 38-35 win over UNC at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill (NC), the Hurricanes have gone undefeated on the road in Atlantic Coast Conference play for the very first time. The only league opponents left on the regular-season schedule are Duke (Nov. 14), Virginia Tech (Nov. 21), and Boston College (Nov. 28) – all at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens (Fla.).

While the Hurricanes currently don't have a standout win like last year against Notre Dame, Florida, Florida State, and Pitt, it will take winning the ACC this time to get into the 12-team bracket. Having been ranked No. 1 and showcasing elite dominance, anything less will likely result in being left out. The Hurricanes almost didn't make the College Football Playoff last season following two losses against Louisville and SMU, both unranked at the time of meeting.

However, by carving out a dominant four-game win streak to close the regular season and having the head-to-head over Notre Dame helped in landing the final at-large bid. It resulted in history being made as the Hurricanes went as far as the National Championship game, which was the first since 2003. Despite losing to Indiana 27-21, head coach Mario Cristobal had successfully elevated the standard within the Coral Gables program.

This season, the Hurricanes are looking more like a National Championship contender with Mensah running the offense. He's completed 188 passes of 233 passes for 2,425 yards and 25 touchdowns with one interception this season thus far. It helps that Mensah has a rising star to target at wide receiver in Malachi Toney. He's second in FBS with 73 catches for 1,027 yards while scoring 13 touchdowns.

Both offensive playmakers are strong candidates for the Heisman Trophy, with the possibility of both receiving invitations to the New York City (NY) ceremony.

This marks the first time in College Football Playoff history that the Hurricanes are ranked No. 1 by the Selection Committee. However, a significant test is approaching: No. 11 Notre Dame this Saturday. ESPN's College GameDay will be present for the prime-time matchup in South Bend, Indiana.

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