Miami and SMU have met only once on the football field. On Sept. 18, 1965, the Mustangs opened their season by grinding out a 7-3 win over the Hurricanes at the Orange Bowl. SMU quarterback Mac White scored the game's lone touchdown and the Mustangs' defense hounded Miami throughout, for an early-season upset.
That 1965 meeting remains the entirety of the series until this season's renewal as conference foes following SMU's move to the ACC last season. The ACC formally welcomed SMU on July 1, 2024, setting the stage for regular meetings between the programs.
The next chapter arrives on Nov. 1, 2025, when Miami travels to Dallas for SMU's Homecoming game at Gerald J. Ford Stadium.
Beyond the on-field history, here are some Miami and SMU connections:
Coaching pipeline
SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee coordinated Miami's offense in 2020 and 2021 before taking over on the Hilltop in 2022. He's since built an SMU staff with multiple Miami connections. Associate head coach/co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach Rob Likens coached Miami's wideouts in 2020-21, and assistant head coach/co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Garin Justice led Miami's offensive line during the same period. Former Miami quarterback D'Eriq King, who starred under Lashlee with the Hurricanes in 2020, is SMU's quarterbacks coach.
Player movement
The programs have connected frequently in the transfer portal. Former Miami starting center Jakai Clark transferred to SMU in 2023. Defensive linemen Elijah Roberts and Jahfari Harvey also moved from Miami to SMU during the 2023-24 cycle, and all three played roles in the Mustangs' defense-led rise. Miami multipurpose threat Brashard Smith transferred to SMU ahead of 2024 and transitioned to running back, where he became an impact player. Most recently, former Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke committed to SMU in January 2025 after a stop at Wisconsin, reuniting with Lashlee.
Family ties
SMU tight end RJ Maryland is the son of Russell Maryland, the Miami legend who became the first Hurricane to win the Outland Trophy in 1990 before going No. 1 overall in the 1991 NFL Draft.