Miami football most likely 2021 ESPN Gameday appearances

The Miami football program had an unprecedented three appearances on ESPN College Gameday during the 2020 season. That number is unlikely to be matched in 2021, but the Hurricanes have a few games that are candidates for Gameday to appear on location in 2021. Miami opens the season September 4 against Alabama.

The Crimson Tide and Hurricanes are scheduled for a 3:30 ET kickoff. With Clemson playing Georgia in Charlotte the same day, the Bulldogs and Tigers were selected for the primetime game. ESPN Gameday will almost definitely appear in Charlotte in what could be their first remote appearance of the 2021 season.

Miami games at Louisville and Clemson and home against Florida State in 2020 had appearances from Gameday. The Hurricanes defeated the Cardinals and Seminoles and were blown out by the Tigers. Miami has appeared on Gameday in three of the past four seasons. Prior to 2017, Miami was not on Gameday since 2013.

Ohio State 19 times hosting Gameday is the all-time leader. Alabama has a leading 49 Gameday appearances. The Buckeyes have a leading 34 victories. Miami has 14 wins all-time after appearing on Gameday earlier in the day. The Hurricanes have a few marquee games in 2021.

Alabama is the biggest game Miami will play since arguably hosting Notre Dame in 2017 when Gameday made its first appearance in Coral Gables. Gameday has been in Miami before but had not appeared on the Coral Gables campus. Miami at North Carolina on October 16 is the most likely Hurricanes Gameday appearance in 2021.

The Hurricanes at Tar Heels has been one of the games mentioned as a potential Gameday destination for 2021 week seven in college football on October 16. UCF at Cincinnati is the consensus favorite to host Gameday on October 16. Surprisingly Florida at LSU which is also October 16 has not been mentioned.

Appearing on Gameday is good for the Miami football program. Still trying to emerge out of nearly 20 years of mediocrity, the Hurricanes need positive publicity. After appearing on Gameday three times in 2020, Miami signed the 11th ranked class. It’s hard to prove a correlation, but Miami needs to be back in the national discussion.