Why 'The U' might be back for real - and how Miami can prove it

Stop me if you've heard this one before, but it looks like "The U" is back.

Despite struggling since it joined the ACC in 2004, Miami remains one of the most storied programs in college football history. Every time it registers any win of significance, excited Hurricanes fans rush to claim that "The U" is among the nation's elite once again.

For 15 years, Miami teams have quickly proven those claims bogus. This year, however, it doesn't seem so strange to mention the program among the nation's top 10.

The Hurricanes are off to a red-hot 8-0 start and sit seventh in the latest CFP rankings. The only thing missing from Miami's resume for a spot in the playoff appears to be a signature win - something that can be checked off this weekend with a victory at home over old rival Notre Dame, currently No. 3.

Here's why the Hurricanes might officially be back this year.

Longest winning streak in the country

Alabama and Clemson have deservedly gotten the hype the past couple seasons, but the Hurricanes now hold the nation's longest active winning streak at 13 games. Since Mark Richt took over prior to the 2016 campaign, he's led the team to a sparkling 17-4 overall record. While Miami only played two of those contests against ranked opponents, it shouldn't be punished for the ACC Coastal's rough run. Last week's 18-point win over No. 13 Virginia Tech served notice that the Hurricanes are for real, and a follow-up win over longtime rival Notre Dame should vault Miami into the race for the No. 1 spot in the CFP rankings.

NFL talent on the field

One of the staples of the Miami program's heyday was the ridiculous amount of NFL talent that took the field for the Hurricanes. The 2001 national championship team had an astonishing 38 players selected in the NFL draft, and while this year's roster is nowhere near as loaded, it's still packed with professional-caliber talent. RJ McIntosh and Kendrick Norton lead one of the best defensive fronts in the country, and will almost certainly hear their names called early in April's draft. Consider defensive end Chad Thomas and excellent young players Jaquan Johnson, Shaquille Quarterman, Michael Pinckney, and Joe Jackson, and it's easy to see why the defense has been outstanding all year.

Raucous crowd returns

It may not have the vibes of the old Orange Bowl, but the crowd at the new Hard Rock Stadium is doing its best to to bring the noise back to South Beach. Last weekend's Saturday night affair at the stadium with Virginia Tech was loud, but should pale in comparison to this weekend's scene. Over 64,000 are expected to attend the game, and anticipate seeing a few celebrities in the crowd, as Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez were against the Hokies.

Turnover-chain swag

The Miami teams of the mid-to-late 1980s and the late '90s to early 2000s terrorized the sport and brought a previously unseen level of swag to the field. While the Richt-led Hurricanes may not be as intimidating, they are experiencing a resurgence in swag with the incredible "turnover chain."

Silly as the necklace may seem, Miami's in the top 10 nationally in turnovers gained, as the reward has apparently worked wonders for coordinator Manny Diaz's defense.

It couldn't be more perfect that Miami's rise back to the top coincides with Notre Dame sitting No. 3 in the country. Their rivalry - depicted in the "30 for 30" documentary "Catholics vs. Convicts" about their 1988 game - used to be among the best in the land, and Saturday is the first step toward restoring it.

ESPN's College GameDay is on campus in Coral Gables for the affair as the country tunes in to watch the Hurricanes take on the Fighting Irish.

Win, and "The U" will rejoin college football's elite - for real this time.