Miami will open the 2026 season at Stanford on Friday, September 4. Miami has not opened a season against an ACC opponent since losing 31-13 at Louisville in the first-ever game in the conference for the Cardinals. That was also the first start for former Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya.
Miami will play an ACC opponent in September for the first time since defeating Virginia Tech in 2024. That was in the fifth game of the season after Miami beat four non-conference opponents to begin its 2024 schedule.
Miami last played an ACC opponent in its first five games when it won at Louisville in the second game of the 2020 season. That was during the covid shortened season when Miami played 11 games that included its Cheez-It Bowl loss to Oklahoma State in Orlando.
Miami has not played an early non-conference game in a non-COVID season since 2019. After losing its season opener 24-20 to Florida in Orlando during week zero, Miami lost 28-25 at North Carolina in 2019 week two. The Hurricanes began a season 0-2 for the first time since 1978.
Mark your calendars! 🗓️
— Miami Hurricanes Football (@CanesFootball) January 26, 2026
The 2026 @canesfootball schedule is here 🙌 pic.twitter.com/e0wwXbHJFP
Two early ACC Games
In addition to the game at Stanford to open the season, Miami plays Friday, September 18, in week three at Wake Forest. Miami did not play its second ACC game in 2019 until week against Virginia Tech. Miami is playing two ACC games in its first three weeks of the season for the first time since 2009.
The 2020 season was the most recent that Miami began a season with two early ACC games. Miami beat Florida State 52-10 in week three. ACC teams played only one non-conference game as Football Bowl Subdivision teams nationally wanted to limit the number of non-conference games to reduce the spread of Covid.
Miami last began a season with multiple non-conference games when it defeated Georgia Tech and won at Florida State to begin the season before losing at Virginia Tech in week three. Miami began the 2009 season with four consecutive games against ranked opponents, which also included Oklahoma.
Miami cannot win the ACC in September, but it cannot afford to get off to a bad start with early-season losses. Despite playing at Stanford and Wake Forest, Miami will be big favorites in those games. The biggest challenge for Miami in 2026 appears to be November 7 at Notre Dame.