The sting of falling just short of a national title still lingers in Coral Gables. Miami’s 27-21 loss to Indiana in the championship game was a gut punch-but now, the focus shifts to what’s next. And if the 2026 schedule is any indication, the Hurricanes might just have the inside lane back to the College Football Playoff.
The ACC dropped its full conference slate Monday evening, and the reaction was swift and loud. But it wasn’t celebration-it was controversy. Fans and analysts across the college football landscape lit up social media with claims that Miami’s schedule is, well, suspiciously favorable.
Let’s break it down.
A Schedule That Raises Eyebrows
According to CFBalerts, Miami is set to face just one ranked opponent all season: a Nov. 7 road trip to No. 3 Notre Dame.
That’s it. One top-25 team on the entire slate.
It’s the kind of schedule that has fans of other programs raising their eyebrows-and their voices. The post didn’t mince words, calling Miami “almost guaranteed” to return to the playoff and predicting the Hurricanes would “coast to their first ever ACC title.”
Even outside the usual college football circles, the reaction was fierce. Lifestyle YouTuber Tara Henderson chimed in with a pointed jab, questioning where the Miami faithful were when Notre Dame’s schedule came under fire in the past. It’s a fair question, and one that underscores the perception that the Hurricanes may have caught a break.
The Road Ahead
Miami opens the season on Sept. 4 at Stanford, followed by a home date with Florida A&M and a road trip to Wake Forest. Central Michigan visits on Sept.
- While none of those matchups scream “trap game,” Wake Forest has been flagged as a potential stumbling block.
College Football News went so far as to call it “extremely dangerous,” despite the Demon Deacons entering the year with modest expectations.
The first real test comes Oct. 3 at Clemson. But even that matchup carries an asterisk.
The Tigers are in the midst of what many view as a transitional period, with questions surrounding their consistency and depth. After that, Miami gets a bye week before hosting Florida State on Oct. 17-a game that, for the second straight year, comes after extra rest.
From there, it’s a manageable stretch. Pittsburgh comes to Hard Rock Stadium on Oct. 24, followed by back-to-back road games at North Carolina and Notre Dame. The final three games-Duke, Virginia Tech, and Boston College-are all at home.
One thing’s clear: Miami avoids a host of traditionally tough ACC opponents this year. No Cal.
No Georgia Tech. No Louisville.
No NC State. No SMU.
No Syracuse. No Virginia.
That’s a significant list of teams the Hurricanes won’t have to deal with-especially considering they lost to both Louisville and SMU last season before making their title run.
Built for a Bounce Back?
There’s also a logistical advantage baked into the schedule. Five of Miami’s final seven games are at home.
That’s no small thing when the season’s wear and tear starts to set in. The Hurricanes also play three Friday games and one Thursday contest, meaning four of their 12 games fall outside the traditional Saturday window.
It’s a quirky setup, but one that could work in their favor with the right preparation.
The early-season layout is a bit of a grind-road, home, road, home, road to start the year. But once Miami hits mid-October, they finally get back-to-back home games with Florida State and Pitt. If they can survive the early shuffle, the back half of the schedule sets up nicely.
The Big Picture
College Football News projects Miami to be favored in each of its first five games, assuming they stay locked in. Their best-case scenario?
Running the table until Notre Dame. Their worst-case?
Slipping up at Stanford or Wake Forest and heading into November with multiple losses.
Critics aren’t just pointing fingers at Miami-they’re pointing to the context. A team that just played for a national title now gets what looks like one of the lightest paths of any contender.
One ranked opponent. Several tough ACC teams completely off the schedule.
Clemson in a down year. It’s not hard to see why fans of other programs are crying foul.
But here’s the thing: schedules don’t win games. Execution does.
Miami still has to show up, stay healthy, and handle business. And after coming so close to a championship, you can bet this team is hungry.
The path may look smooth. But in college football, nothing’s guaranteed.
The Hurricanes have the road in front of them. Now it’s on them to walk it.