The non-conference schedule for the Miami football team is very manageable in 2020. The Hurricanes play their first three games of the season at Hard Rock Stadium before concluding their non-conference schedule at Michigan State September 26.
The Miami football program has played at least one non-conference game per season against a Power Five opponent dating back to 2008. Miami has lost three non-conference games in the last two regular-seasons. That included an embarrassing loss to Florida International at Marlins Park in 2019.
Miami will open the 2020 season by hosting Temple on September 5. The game against the Owls will be followed by home games against Wagner September 12 and Alabama-Birmingham September 17. Miami will conclude the non-conference portion of its schedule in 2020 at Michigan State September 26.
Miami has dominated the series with Temple winning all 13 meetings. The Hurricanes were ranked in all but two of those meetings, were in the top five eight times and number one in three of their victories over the Owls. All but one of the games between Miami and Temple occurred when both were members of the Big East.
Miami won the last meeting 35-3 in 2005 when the Hurricanes were in their first season in the ACC and the Owls became an independent. Temple and Miami will have the added story in 2020 with Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz who was at Temple for 18 days in December 2018 and new transfer defensive end Quincy Roche.
Miami and Wagner are meeting for the first time in 2020. The FCS Seahawks finished the 2019 season 1-11. Miami has never lost to an FCS team under the current format of college football since Division I was split in two in 1978. Miami defeated FCS Bethune-Cookman in 2019. The Hurricanes play Central Connecticut State in 2021.
The Blue Devils and Wagner are both in the Northeast Conference. Miami and UAB will be meeting for the first time this season. The Blazers are an amazing story. After disbanding their program for the 2015 and ’16 seasons, UAB brought back football in 2017 and have made a bowl game each season. UAB won the 2018 Boca Raton Bowl.
Miami and Michigan State have played four times. The Hurricanes have won all four meetings, but only by a total of 28 points. The most recent game was in 1989 when Miami won 26-20 in East Lansing over a Spartans team led by quarterback Dan Enos. Like Miami, Michigan State has struggled the last couple of seasons.
The non-conference schedule in September in 2020 sets up much better than the Miami football schedule did in 2019. Miami began last season with a neutral site loss to Florida in Orlando, a week off and another loss at a much better than expected North Carolina team. Miami doesn’t play a Power Five school until week four in 2020.
Michigan State is not likely to be as good of a football team in 2020 as North Carolina was in 2019 and almost definitely not as good as Florida was. Miami will need to win their first three games at home or the entire Miami football program will be lit up by the fan base. A 3-1 start to the season is reasonable and a 4-0 start is within reach.