Miami Hurricanes 2026-2027 Season Outlook: Schedule, Odds & Tickets

Miami returned to the national spotlight in 2025, finishing 13–3 and earning a College Football Playoff berth. The Miami Hurricanes opened the season 5–0, highlighted by victories over Notre Dame, South Florida and Florida State. Miami’s season-opening win over Notre Dame ultimately proved pivotal to its playoff résumé. With the Hurricanes and Fighting Irish finishing with identical strength-of-schedule metrics, the selection committee favored Miami based on the head-to-head victory.

The Hurricanes opened the College Football Playoff with a 10–3 victory at Texas A&M before knocking off defending national champion Ohio State 24–14 in one of the postseason’s biggest upsets. Miami then defeated Ole Miss 31–27 in the Fiesta Bowl after quarterback Carson Beck scored the go-ahead rushing touchdown with 18 seconds remaining. The Hurricanes’ season ended with a heartbreaking loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

Head coach Mario Cristobal reshaped his coaching staff following several offseason departures. After Cody Woodiel left for Ole Miss, Mike Viti was hired as Miami’s new tight ends coach. Viti previously served as Army’s fullbacks coach from 2016 to 2021 before coaching the offensive line from 2022 to 2025. In 2024, his offensive line led the nation in total rushing yards and rushing yards per game despite facing the highest percentage of eight-man boxes in the country. Terry Jefferson was promoted to cornerbacks coach after Zac Etheridge accepted a position with the Arizona Cardinals. Will Harris was promoted to secondary coach and defensive pass game coordinator, while Matt Birkett joined the staff as a defensive assistant.

Miami had nine players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, the program’s highest total since 2007. Offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa headlined the class after being selected 10th overall by the New York Giants. Mauigoa earned First-Team All-ACC honors and won the ACC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy in 2025. Five picks later, defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bain Jr. earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors and was a finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy after recording 54 total tackles and 9.5 sacks in 2025. Defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor was selected 22nd overall by the Los Angeles Chargers after finishing third in the FBS with 12.5 sacks, tying for fifth nationally with 17.5 tackles for loss and earning First-Team All-ACC honors.

Beck was selected by the Cardinals in the third round after throwing for 3,813 yards, 30 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing 72.4% of his passes and leading Miami to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Markel Bell and Jakobe Thomas were selected later in the third round by the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings, respectively. Defensive back Keionte Scott, offensive lineman Anez Cooper and wide receiver CJ Daniels rounded out Miami’s 2026 NFL Draft class.

Mark Fletcher Jr. led Miami’s rushing attack with 1,192 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2025. CharMar Brown added 474 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Malachi Toney emerged as the Hurricanes’ top receiving threat, totaling 1,211 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, while Keelan Marion added 57 receptions for 746 yards. Defensively, Mohamed Toure led Miami with 84 total tackles, while Bryce Fitzgerald paced the secondary with a team-high six interceptions.

247Sports ranked Miami’s 2026 transfer class fourth in the nation. Former Missouri edge rusher Damon Wilson II is expected to play a major role in replacing the production lost by Bain Jr. and Mesidor. Wilson recorded nine sacks, 23 total tackles and one interception last season, giving the Hurricanes another disruptive pass rusher off the edge. Quarterback Darian Mensah transferred from Duke to replace Beck after leading the Blue Devils to an ACC Championship and a Sun Bowl victory over Arizona State. Mensah is expected to start in 2026, bringing dual-threat ability to an offense looking to become more dynamic on the ground. Cooper Barkate will reunite with Mensah in Miami, giving the Hurricanes an experienced playmaker to strengthen the receiving corps. Keona Davis and Jarquez Carter provide additional depth and experience along the defensive line, while Boston College transfer Omar Thornton strengthens the secondary.

On paper, Miami’s 2026 schedule is favorable, with marquee matchups against Clemson, Florida State and Notre Dame highlighting the season. The road matchup against Notre Dame could prove especially pivotal, as the Hurricanes travel to South Bend to face another College Football Playoff contender. The Fighting Irish’s offensive line will provide a major test for Miami’s rebuilt defensive front, while the hostile road environment and late-November conditions could make one of the season’s toughest matchups even more challenging. The Notre Dame game is followed immediately by a home matchup against defending 2025 ACC champion Duke, creating one of the toughest stretches on Miami’s schedule.

Despite those challenges, Miami enters 2026 as one of the ACC favorites after assembling one of the nation’s top transfer classes. If Mensah settles into the offense and the rebuilt defensive front performs as expected, the Hurricanes have the talent to return to the College Football Playoff. Most analysts project the Hurricanes to finish with 10 or 11 wins while contending for both the ACC Championship and another College Football Playoff berth.

FanDuel Sportsbook lists Miami at -310 to win the ACC Championship and +1200 to win the National Championship.

Miami Hurricanes 2026-2027 Schedule & Tickets:

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Article by Christian Bongiorno