Is No. 1 Miami Really College Football's Best Team?

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Miami Deserves the No. 1 Ranking, but Is It Really Far Ahead of Everyone Else?

Miami deserves to be ranked No. 1, but the question is whether the Hurricanes are far and away the best team in the country. They have talented players, including Tony and an impressive running back in Mallory, but this team may not be as dominant as some previous No. 1 teams.

Miami began the season with several injuries on defense, but those players have returned. Much of the attention has gone to Malachitoni, Menza, the quarterback and the offense, while the defense has quietly become healthy and ferocious.

From a talent perspective, Miami belongs alongside teams such as Ohio State. However, Ohio State lost its starting quarterback to injury and hopes he can return at some point during the College Football Playoff. Miami, meanwhile, has what Joe described as a Heisman quarterback and Heisman wide receiver, underrated running backs and defensive players who have not received enough attention.

On paper, Miami may be the most talented team in the country on both sides of the ball. Still, the most talented team does not always win everything. The SEC has also been devouring itself, with teams beating one another from week to week. Tennessee can beat Alabama and then lose to South Carolina in overtime.

That instability among the teams behind Miami strengthens the Hurricanes’ position. Utah can look like one of the best teams in the country, but that perception could change when it plays BYU. Miami deserves to be favored in its remaining games, yet a playoff loss to Georgia or a close defeat against Utah would not be shocking. The Hurricanes can be very good without being a college football super team.

Miami’s win over FSU was also significant. A loss in that game could have dropped the Hurricanes to sixth or seventh in the rankings.

The defining test will be Notre Dame in two weeks. If Miami beats Notre Dame convincingly, there may be nothing left to debate. If Notre Dame wins, it could jump to No. 1. That matchup stands as the game of the year in college football.