Miami football will find out ACC schedule Thursday

The Miami football program will find out their ACC schedule on Thursday. Miami already knows the dates and opponents for their non-conference schedule and the teams they will play at home and one on the road in the ACC in 2021, but Thursday the dates will be released for conference games.

The Hurricanes will open the 2021 season against defending National Champion  Alabama on September 4 at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, then host Appalachian State, Michigan State and Central Connecticut State the following three Saturdays. Miami hosts North Carolina State in their rotating ACC crossover game.

Georgia Tech, Virginia and Virginia Tech are the other three ACC teams who will play at Hard Rock Stadium in 2021. Miami will play at Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Pittsburgh this fall. Miami played all eight of their 2021 ACC opponents in 2020, going 7-1. The lone loss was infamous 62-26 to the Tar Heels.

North Carolina will likely be the favorite to win the ACC Coastal that is expected to be re-stated after the ACC did not play with divisions in 2020. Miami finished 7-2 in the ACC in 2020 which was third behind Notre Dame and Clemson. The Hurricanes’ other ACC loss in 2020 was against Clemson who was not on the original 2020 schedule.

COVID-19 caused new schedules throughout college football. Miami originally had Clemson, Louisville and North Carolina State replace Duke. The Hurricanes won 47-35 at the Cardinals in September, lost 42-17 at the Tigers in October and a 44-41 thriller over the Wolfpack in Raleigh in November.

When Wake Forest had to postpone its season because of a spread of COVID, the ACC replaced Duke who Miami shutout 48-0 for their last win of the 2020 season in December. With Wake Forest canceled in 2020, the Hurricanes and Demon Deacons could go 14 years without playing based on the ACC schedule rotation.