The Miami Hurricanes navigate a new era. Facing rivals and transfers, they aim for ACC glory with a revamped roster.
The Miami Hurricanes faced three ranked non-conference opponents, including four historic and in-state rivals in the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles, and South Florida Bulls, within the first five games of the regular season. It brought tons of nostalgia and meaning to win those games, which they accomplished.
However, as the program embarks on a new season, it won't feature that same aura. On Monday night, they announced the official 2026-27 schedule.
The Hurricanes will host a couple of non-conference opponents in the Florida A&M Rattlers and Central Michigan Chippewas. Neither program was ranked nor won their conference. Unlike the Rattlers, the Chippewas qualified for the GameAbove Sports Bowl, losing against the Northwestern Wildcats after a final score of 34-7.
The Seminoles are the only in-state rival on the schedule, but the team will be drastically different. Quarterback Tommy Castellanos was denied an extra year of eligibility, then declared for the upcoming NFL draft. The program acquired a couple of three-star transfer quarterbacks in Ashton Daniels from the Auburn Tigers and Dean DeNobile from the Lafayette Leopards.
The Hurricanes will get a rematch against the Fighting Irish, this time in Indiana.
Mario Cristobal will get a first-hand look at facing future Pro Football Hall of Famer Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels, who are coming off a horrendous 4-8 overall season, 2-6 against ACC opponents. They had a terrible defense and an even worse offense.
The Hurricanes will face the Pitt Panthers, who were also in the College Football Playoff race towards the end of the regular season. They lost star linebacker Rasheem Biles to the transfer portal, committing to the Texas Longhorns.
The team will close the regular season with a three-game homestand, which includes hosting the reigning ACC champion Duke Blue Devils.
Last season, after starting 5-0, the Hurricanes were projected to finish undefeated. However, losing to the Louisville Cardinals and SMU Mustangs in the span of three weeks cost them a chance at an automatic bid for the College Football Playoffs. They're likely to be the favorites to win the ACC as this schedule is essentially weaker.
Losing a game will likely cause more damage than the benefits of going undefeated.
The Hurricanes continue to gather reinforcements for the upcoming season, especially with the starting quarterback job still available, but seeking to remain competitive. The path towards claiming the program's first-ever ACC championship could be clear without meeting any resistance, which would help claim an automatic bid in the College Football Playoffs.
Join the Community! Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news! It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our RoundTable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!
More Miami Hurricanes News: