The University of Miami football team, as of today, has entered the Top-10 AP rankings for the first time since Oct. 18, 2009.

The Canes (5-0) are now No. 10, per the rankings that were just released.

Miami rose three spots in the AP poll without having played, thanks to then-No. 12 Oklahoma, then-No. 7 Georgia and then No.-5 Stanford all losing yesterday.

Per the Associated Press, the last time the Canes were ranked among the top-10 was the poll of Oct. 2009, when they were No. 8.

Also per the AP, the last time the ACC had three top-10 teams like it does now was the poll of Oct. 30, 2005 (Virginia Tech was ranked No. 3, Miami was No. 5 and FSU was No. 9).

So, in closing, is this a good thing going into a Thursday-night game at North Carolina, where the 1-4 Tar Heels will be totally psyched to pull off the upset? We've seen UM stunned before at UNC.

I know it's good for UM that it is rising in the polls, obviously, but just wondering if it affects the Canes' psyche. The national attention is coming for sure, and all eyes will be on UM Thursday.

Al Golden no doubt is hunkered down trying like heck to keep his players in the zone, disregarding the "external'' and staying within "the process.''

But the better and higher ranked they get, the more of a challenge that becomes.

After they were ranked 8th in 2009, the Hurricanes lost the next game in overtime against unranked Clemson.

Three games later, the Canes lost to guess who and guess where? Yup. At unranked North Carolina -- at Chapel Hill.

AP Top 10

1. Alabama 6-0

2. Oregon 6-0

3. Clemson 6-0

4. Ohio State 6-0

5. FSU 5-0

6. LSU 6-1

7. Texas A&M 5-1

8. Louisville 6-0

9. UCLA 5-0

10. Miami 5-0

11. South Carolina 5-1

12. Baylor 5-0

13. Stanford 5-1

14. Missouri 6-0

15. Georgia 4-2

16. Texas Tech 6-0

17. Fresno State 5-0

18. Oklahoma 5-1

19. Virginia Tech 6-1

20. Washington 4-2

21. Oklahoma State 4-1

22. Florida 4-2

23. Northern Illinois 6-0

24. Auburn 5-1

25. Wisconsin 4-2

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN