The ACC is shaking things up in 2026, and Miami is right in the middle of it. As part of the conference's shift toward a nine-game league schedule, the Hurricanes will be one of 12 ACC teams playing nine conference games that season. It's a transitional year for the league, moving from the traditional eight-game format to a more robust nine-game slate that better reflects the expanded 17-team structure.
The ACC released its 2026 conference opponents this week, and Miami’s schedule has a little bit of everything: familiar rivalries, fresh matchups, and some intriguing road trips. At home, the Hurricanes will host Boston College, Duke, Florida State, Pittsburgh, and Virginia Tech. On the road, they’ll travel to Clemson, North Carolina, Stanford, and Wake Forest.
If you're circling dates on the calendar, you’ll have to wait a bit longer-the full 2026 schedule, including game dates, is set to drop in late January. But we do know a few things already.
Miami’s non-conference lineup includes home games against Florida A&M on September 12 and Central Michigan on September 26. They’ll also head to South Bend for a marquee matchup with Notre Dame on November 7.
That gives Miami three non-conference games and nine ACC contests, meaning they’ll open the season with back-to-back league games. It’s a front-loaded start that could set the tone early, especially with new opponents like Boston College, Clemson, Duke, North Carolina, and Wake Forest entering the rotation.
Duke is particularly interesting. The Blue Devils edged out a crowded field to win the ACC Championship in 2025, finishing in a five-way tie atop the conference standings with a 6-2 record-same as Miami.
Duke ended the season 8-5 and is headed to the Sun Bowl to face Arizona State. In 2026, they’ll be making the trip to Miami as part of a schedule that’s shaping up to be one of the most competitive in the ACC.
The Hurricanes will also get a shot at some 2025 revenge games-except this time, they’ll be hosting. Florida State, Pittsburgh, and Virginia Tech all lost to Miami on their home turf last season. Now, they’ll come to Hard Rock Stadium looking to flip the script.
On the road, the Hurricanes will revisit Stanford, a team they dominated 42-7 in 2025. That game was one of Miami’s most complete performances of the season, and while it’s never easy to win on the West Coast, the Canes will head to Palo Alto with confidence.
Looking ahead, the ACC plans to have all 16 teams play nine conference games starting in 2027, with one team playing eight due to the uneven 17-team format. That means 2026 is a bit of a preview of the league’s future structure. The conference also announced that an updated tiebreaker policy will be released ahead of the 2026 season-a necessary move given the potential for logjams like the one we saw in 2025.
One more thing to keep in mind: ACC teams are required to play at least 10 games against Power Conference opponents each season. For Miami, that’s not an issue.
The Hurricanes have non-conference matchups lined up through 2032, including regular meetings with Notre Dame in 2026, 2028, 2031, 2032, 2034, and 2037. They’ve also got a home-and-home set with Auburn and a date with Utah in 2027.
So, what does all this mean for Miami? Simply put: the road to an ACC title in 2026 won’t be easy, but it will be compelling. With a challenging mix of home and away games, a rematch with the defending champs, and a trip to Notre Dame, the Hurricanes will have every opportunity to prove they belong in the upper tier of the new-look ACC.