What is Miami Football’s most important 2018 game?

ESPN recently examined the most important game for each top 25 for 2018. Three 2018 Miami football games are clearly the most important.

Miami football games this season against LSU in the season opener, the October 6 visit from Florida State at Hard Rock Stadium and Miami’s November 17 trip to Virginia Tech are clearly their most important.

LSU is a key non-conference game for the Miami football team. The game against the Tigers is Miami’s first non-conference against a team from a Power Five conference since they defeated Nebraska at what was then known as Sun Life Stadium in 2015.

It is the Hurricanes first game away from home against a Power Five team in non-conference since 2014. They lost that game 41-31 to the Cornhuskers in Lincoln. The home and home with Nebraska was the last one the Miami football team had in non-conference against a school from a Power Five conference.

The Hurricanes did play Notre Dame in non-conference the last two seasons. The games against the Fighting Irish are set up by the ACC. Notre Dame is an ACC member in everything except football.

The Fighting Irish are an independent on the gridiron. The Irish are contractually obligated by the conference to play five games against member schools each season.

The game against the Tigers will be important. It’s not as important as the games against the Seminoles or Hokies. LSU had a 9-4 record in 2017 during Ed Obregon’s first full season. In a year and three-quarters leading the Tigers, Obregon is 15-6.

LSU is not the powerhouse they were for most of Les Miles tenure. Obregon replaced Miles four games into the 2016 season. In 11 plus seasons in Baton Rouge, Miles was 114-34. The Tigers are unlikely to be ranked in the top 25 to start the season. ESPN does not currently have LSU in their preseason rankings.