Miami and Notre Dame are down the homestretch of a collision course for a Nov. 7 meeting in South Bend that will carry major College Football Playoff implications. The No. 1 Hurricanes kept their undefeated record with a 38-35 win at North Carolina, while the No. 5 Fighting Irish rebounded from their only loss of the season with a 35-13 victory over Navy.
Miami improved to 8-0 overall and 6-0 in ACC play, while Notre Dame moved to 7-1. ESPN's College GameDay is headed to South Bend for the primetime showdown (7:30 p.m. ET on NBC), a rematch of the 2025 season opener in which Miami's 27-24 win ultimately helped the Hurricanes claim the final at-large CFP spot over the Irish.
Here is a closer examination of how both teams stand after Saturday, the injuries they are carrying, and the matchup that has been building all season.
Miami survives scare against Belichick's Tar Heels
Miami improved to 8-0 with a 38-35 victory over North Carolina in Chapel Hill, snapping a five-game losing streak against the Tar Heels dating to 2018. The Hurricanes led early but trailed in the fourth quarter before Mark Fletcher Jr. scored the go-ahead 2-yard touchdown on fourth down with just under eight minutes left. Edge rusher Marquise Lightfoot then strip-sacked Billy Edwards Jr., with Justin Scott recovering the fumble at about the five minute mark.
Darian Mensah later hit Malachi Toney for a 9-yard touchdown to make it 38-28 with 2:33 remaining. Miami recovered an onside kick after North Carolina's recoveries were negated by penalties and kneeled out the clock.
The win was closer than the Hurricanes preferred, and North Carolina put up 35 points (the most Miami has allowed in regulation this season).
Mensah finished with 274 yards and three touchdowns, while Toney caught seven passes for 75 yards and two scores, tying the school single-season record for receiving touchdowns (13). Fletcher accounted for three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving), and he now has 35 career rushing touchdowns (tied for the Miami record) and 38 total career touchdowns (school record).
Notre Dame dominates second half against Navy
Notre Dame improved to 7-1 with a 35-13 win over Navy in the Shamrock Series at Gillette Stadium. The Midshipmen led 13-7 late in the first half before the Irish scored on their final possession of the half and then added three more touchdowns in a second-half shutout. Notre Dame held Navy to 56 total yards after halftime.
CJ Carr completed 19 of 29 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, while Nolan James Jr. rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries. Jerome Bettis Jr. caught six passes for 78 yards and his first career touchdown.
The win came two weeks after Notre Dame's 28-24 loss at BYU. The Irish now host Miami with the knowledge that a loss could end their playoff hopes.
Injuries for Miami and Notre Dame
Miami Hurricanes
- Joshua Moore and CharMar Brown are out for the season.
- Max Buchanan, OJ Frederique Jr., Ja'Boree Antoine and Luka Gilbert were among those already sidelined entering the North Carolina game.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- DJ McKinney (cornerback) is expected to miss an extended period with an ankle injury suffered against BYU.
- Brauntae Johnson (safety) remains out with a foot injury; a November return remains possible but is not guaranteed.
- Drayk Bowen (linebacker) suffered a significant ankle injury against Navy and is expected to miss an extended period.
- Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (linebacker) is expected to be available for Miami after dealing with a thumb injury.
- Leonard Moore (cornerback) was available against Navy but did not play.
The matchup that will define 2026
This is the first night meeting between the programs at Notre Dame Stadium since 1984. Miami's only previous trip to South Bend in the last decade came in 2016.
Looking at common opponents, both have also handled Stanford, and the Irish took care of UNC better than Miami did.
A loss for either team would severely damage its playoff resume. Miami remains one of the few undefeated Power conference teams and holds the No. 1 ranking and Notre Dame's only defeat came to a then-top-10 BYU squad. But, for both teams, there most likely won't be a better resume opportunity than this week.
Add us as a preferred source on Google