The Miami Hurricanes are off to a strong start in 2026. The Hurricanes moved to 3-0 after a 33-20 win over Wake Forest last Friday, their second conference road win of the season.

The Hurricanes came into 2026 with national championship aspirations after coming one drive short of winning it all last year. And so far, they’ve looked the part, controlling all three games decisively absent an offensive no-show in the second half against the Demon Deacons.

As such, the Hurricanes find themselves as the odds on favorite to claim the program’s first-ever ACC title and make the College Football Playoff for the second straight year.

Where are they projected to fall seed-wise? The latest very early projections from ESPN’s experts have the Canes at No. 6. Kyle Bonagura has Miami hosting Lane Kiffin and LSU in the first round of the playoff, with Mark Schlabach predicting Penn State to come to Hard Rock Stadium.

ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura has Miami Hurricanes hosting LSU Tigers in College Football Playoff first round

Both writers have multiple non-champion SEC and Big Ten teams in front of Miami at No. 6, along with Notre Dame.

That said, the SEC has at least shown itself to be strong this year in relation to other conferences, going 10-2 in Power Four non-conference matchups so far this season. So perhaps it’s not out of the realm of possibility for a 13-1 or 12-2 ACC champion Miami to miss out on the top four slots, who all get byes.

If Kiffin and the Tigers were to come to Coral Gables for a home playoff game, it’s hard to imagine a more crazy environment for a playoff game. Miami fans come out in force, but LSU travels as well as anyone in the country and is as rowdy and rabid a fan base as there is. And of course, Kiffin often generates storylines on a regular basis, as we’ve seen plenty this season.

That would certainly be can’t miss television, which is something ESPN would surely approve of.