The Miami season opener against Florida on August 31 and versus Florida State on October 26 have been named by 247Sports in "College football's top 25 games of 2024." Miami at Florida is the 25th-ranked game on the list. Florida State at Miami is the 10th-ranked game of 2024 by 247Sports.
Florida and Miami are playing for the first time since 2019. Florida defeated Miami 24-20 in the 2019 season opener in Orlando. The 2024 season opener is significant for both coaches. Billy Napier is 11-14 in two seasons at Florida. Mario Cristobal is 12-13 in two seasons at Miami.
The 2024 game between Florida and Miami is the first on either's home field since 2013. Miami beat Florida 21-16 in 2013. Miami is traveling to Gainesville for the first time since 2008. Florida beat Miami 26-3 in Gainesville in 2008. Miami leads the all-time series 12-9 in Gainesville.
The ESPN Football Power Index ranks Florida 20th and Miami 23rd. There has been a lot of offseason hype for Miami at Florida. ESPN college football analyst and former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy said Miami at Florida has playoff implications on his podcast earlier this summer.
5️⃣0️⃣ DAYS OUT#GoCanes pic.twitter.com/5RcJNnEIp9
— Miami Hurricanes Football (@CanesFootball) July 12, 2024
Carter Bahns of 247Sports summarized the Florida State at Miami game. Bahns mentioned the lack of rivalry taking on ACC title implications that have been expected annually, but the 2024 game could be a preview of the conference championship game this season.
Bahns complimented Florida State for reloading lost NFL talent on their roster through the transfer portal while mentioning Miami has been even more successful in recruiting. The key for Miami per Bahns is to put those pieces together. Bahns expects the winner of the Florida State Miami game to have a leg up on the other for a CFP bid.
The games against Florida and Florida State are critical for Miami from a national perception and by the CFP committee. Miami does not have a lot of opportunities on its 2024 schedule for impressive wins. Florida has one of the toughest schedules in the country in 2024. A win over Florida should boost Miami's metrics.
Florida State enters the 2024 season 11th in ESPN FPI. A win over Florida State If Miami has at least 10 wins this season, that should put them in a position for consideration for a CFP berth. The games against Florida and Florida State are the most anticipated on the 2024 Miami schedule by a significant margin.