Miami Hurricanes 2026 Schedule: Notre Dame Showdown and Potential Upsets
The Miami Hurricanes’ 2026 football schedule is out, and honestly, it’s shaping up to be a wild ride. Seven home games, five on the road—Miami’s set to face a tough bunch, including nine ACC opponents thanks to the league’s new expanded format.
They’ll kick things off away from home for just the second time since 2015. If you’re looking for season-defining moments, they’re scattered all over this schedule.
Contents
Key Road Games
At Notre Dame, Nov. 7
Miami heads to South Bend for a marquee showdown with Notre Dame on November 7. Last year, the Hurricanes knocked off the Irish and snagged a playoff spot over them, so the rematch is already buzzing with playoff tension.
Notre Dame’s got C.J. Carr and Leonard Moore back, and you can bet they’re hungry for payback. Miami hasn’t won at Notre Dame since 1984—no pressure, right?
At Wake Forest, Sept. 18
The season opener’s at Stanford, but it’s the third game at Wake Forest on September 18 that might sneak up on Miami. Jake Dickert’s Wake Forest squad finished 9-4 last year, pulling off upsets over SMU and Virginia.
They lost some big names like Demond Claiborne and Melvin Siani, but they’ve reloaded with former UNC quarterback Gio Lopez and ex-UM receiver Ny Carr. Dickert’s teams always seem to punch above their weight, so this early road test could tell us a lot.
Home Game Highlights
Vs. Duke, Nov. 14
Circle November 14—Duke comes to town, and there’s plenty of history here. Manny Diaz, now Duke’s head coach, used to run the show at Miami and hasn’t beaten his old team yet.
Last season, Duke barely edged Miami out of the ACC title game, which stung. There’s extra intrigue with Miami likely landing Duke quarterback Darian Mensah. Should be spicy.
Vs. Florida State, Nov. 21
After their only bye, Miami gets their biggest rival at home—Florida State, November 21. The Seminoles stumbled to a 5-7 record last year, while Miami’s won the last two in the series.
FSU’s hoping to rebound with a strong recruiting haul, but this rivalry always delivers drama. You never really know what’ll happen.
Vs. Pittsburgh, Nov. 28
Just a week after the FSU game, Miami hosts Pittsburgh on November 28. Pitt’s coming off a solid campaign, with Mason Heintschel stepping up at quarterback after Eli Holstein went down.
Heintschel led them to a top-20 offense. Miami blew them out on the road last season, but Pitt’s got some bite, so don’t count them out.
Challenges on the Road
At North Carolina, Dec. 5
December 5, Miami travels to North Carolina. The Tar Heels had a rough go under new head coach Bill Belichick, but maybe they’ll figure things out in year two.
Miami’s had a miserable run in Chapel Hill—three straight losses there, five in a row overall against UNC. Breaking that streak won’t be easy.
Conclusion
The Miami Hurricanes’ 2026 schedule is loaded with big games and a few real curveballs. There’s that high-stakes rematch with Notre Dame, which already has fans buzzing.
Then, of course, the rivalry clash with Florida State—never a dull moment there. Miami’s going to have to stay sharp all season to handle this lineup.
Key ACC games and a pretty brutal road schedule mean every week could get interesting. Curious about the full breakdown? Check out the Sun-Sentinel’s analysis for more details.
