2026 FSU Schedule Preview: Miami Hurricanes

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There is always more on the line when these two teams play each other.

However, could a crushing defeat to Miami be the final nail in the coffin for head coach Mike Norvell? The Noles have a bye week after this game, and if the early-season results do not go their way, the talk after the Hurricanes will not be about the contest but about the coach’s next steps.

On the flip side, if Florida State is to have a bounce-back season, getting a mid-season win over a highly-hyped rival would do wonders in the narrative around it.

Florida State vs. Miami Hurricanes

• Date: Saturday, Oct. 17
• Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
• Previous matchup: 28-22 loss
• All-time series: 37-33, Miami leads

Miami Hurricanes: 2026 Team Preview

2025 record: 13-3 (6-2)

Two things to know:

• The one-year Carson Beck era is over in Coral Gables, but head coach Mario Cristobal made sure to retool at the position. Late in the transfer portal, Miami landed Darian Mensah from Duke, one of the best portal pickups from any team in the country. Mensah began his career at Tulane before being named All-ACC Second Team in 2025 and helping bring the Blue Devils an ACC Championship. The junior was one of the most expensive acquisitions in the country, but UM believes his ability to push the ball downfield will be worth it.
• In addition to replacing Beck, the Hurricanes must find five new starters on an offensive line that was downright dominant a season ago. The ‘Canes are prepared to pickup where they left off in 2025, however, with one of the most highly-touted fronts anywhere in the country, headlined by true freshman LT Jackson Cantwell, a five-star prospect by every major recruiting site. Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal have done an excellent job building UM in the trenches, but there is always risk with such a young group.

Three key players

• Sophomore wide receiver Malachi Toney: The All-Everything wide receiver is back for year two with the Canes after putting together one of the greatest college seasons ever by a freshman wideout. Toney was a Second-Team AP All-American and scored in three of Miami’s four College Football Playoff games last year. It is hard to believe that he still needs to play two more seasons in college before turning pro, as he feels like Detroit Lions RB Jahymr Gibbs, just at wide receiver.
• Senior defensive lineman Damon Wilson: Miami did not take many players from the portal, but when they did, Cristobal went big-game hunting. Wilson transferred to Miami from Missouri, where he recorded nine sacks and was named Second-Team All-SEC in 2025. The senior will instantly plug the gap left behind by Rueben Bain and should also hear his name called in the first round of the NFL Draft with another productive season.
• Senior running back Mark Fletcher Jr.: Even though the Hurricanes are breaking in a relatively inexperienced offensive line, the running backs behind them are a veteran group, headlined by Fletcher Jr., who begins his fourth season in Coral Gables. The senior was named Third-Team All-ACC last season and helped Miami control games on the ground and milk the clock. He is an imposing force and one of the most physical backs in the country, but can be explosive given the opportunity.

Florida State vs. Miami Hurricanes: Game preview, predictions

Best Case

It is difficult to figure out a best-case scenario because there is almost no way Florida State does not open this game as at least a double-digit road underdog. Either FSU pulls off a major upset, or the administration has a plan heading into the bye week.

Realistic Case

As far as the game is concerned, the most realistic scenario is that it starts close and cagey early, before Miami’s talent takes over in the second half. The Seminoles just do not match up with UM at almost any position, and Cristobal has done an amazing job the last two years making sure his team gets up for this game to take care of business.

Worst Case

The worst case is just the flip of the best-case scenario. What happens if Florida State gets pummeled in Coral Gables, but the administration did not see it coming or continues to turn the other cheek? What if the program does not take advantage of the bye week and instead sticks with Ashton Daniels rather than trying out one of the younger quarterbacks? The loss is almost inevitable; a lack of preparation afterward does not have to be.

2026 FSU football schedule

• Saturday, Aug. 29: New Mexico State Aggies (Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee) | 7 p.m. (The CW)
• Monday, Sept. 7: SMU Mustangs (Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee) | 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
• BYE
• Saturday, Sept. 19: Alabama Crimson Tide (Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala.) | 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
• Saturday, Sept. 26: Central Arkansas Bears (Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee)
• Saturday, Oct. 3: Virginia Cavaliers (Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee)
• Friday, Oct. 9: Louisville Cardinals (Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, Ky.) | 7 p.m. (ESPN)
• Saturday, Oct. 17: Miami Hurricanes (Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.)
• BYE
• Saturday, Oct. 31: Clemson Tigers (Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee)
• Saturday, Nov. 7: Boston College Eagles (Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, Mass.)
• Friday, Nov. 13: Pitt Panthers (Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pa.) | 7 p.m. (ESPN)
• Saturday, Nov. 21: NC State Wolfpack (Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee)
• Friday, Nov. 27: Florida Gators (Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee) | 3:30 p.m. (ABC)

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