2026 Miami Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 6: Florida State
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This is the sixth edition of Miami Hurricanes on SI's breakdown of each team on the 2026-27 Miami Hurricanes football schedule.
After a trip to Death Valley that could see Miami manhandle the Clemson Tigers, a week off is well in order. If the oddsmakers are to be believed, the U should be 5-0 at this point in the season, and will have deserved the break if so.
What awaits them on the other side of that break, though, is a date with the ACC and in-state rival Florida State Seminoles. Similar to last year's Clemson squad, FSU underperformed relative to expectations, but did so to a more egregious extent than the Tigers.
The Seminoles were the butt of a lot of jokes in the ACC last season, and many expected major shake-ups on the coaching staff as a result. Instead, the administration decided to run it back with Mike Norvell, let him bring in a few more key players, and try to make one more run at it. If there's a contest for the thinnest ice in the country, though, Norvell is a shoo-in.
Here's everything you need to know about what FSU brings to the table this season, and what Miami has to do to counteract it.
The Offense
FSU tried to make it work last year with former Boston College transfer quarterback Thomas Castellanos, but in the end, his ability (or lack thereof) to be a weapon in the pass game left a lot of offense on the table. Enter Ashton Daniels, the former Auburn Tiger and Stanford Cardinal, to try to boost the FSU passing attack.
Daniels can absolutely still run the ball. He has over 1k career rushing yards, after all. However, his 4,700+ pass yards are what got him to FSU, and that's what the Seminoles will need if they hope to bury the hatchet after what has been a nightmarish few years following a 13-1 season.
A significant portion of the receiving corps will return, headlined by Duce Robinson, who, at 6-foot-6, is a matchup nightmare on the perimeter. Robinson hauled in over 1,000 yards last season through the air and was a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff.
However, the offensive line was lackluster in terms of pass protection last year, especially against the Hurricanes. Rueben Bain Jr. finished his night against FSU in 2025 with 11 total QB Pressures. Now, with Miami having to retool its defensive line, that battle up front will be all the more important to watch in 2026.
Defense
Defensively, FSU has some laurels to hang its hat on. In fact, it's what kept last year's team in a lot of games. Coordinator Tony White had his work cut out for him last year and put together a solid defensive unit in response. Now, in his second year, he made a few changes that the Noles hope will pay dividends against teams like the Hurricanes.
The good news for FSU is that its linebacker corps should be able to maintain the same level of play. A pair of transfers in Mikai Gbayor (North Carolina) and Chris Jones (Southern Miss) will lead the unit, but they're not as big of risks as other transfers might be at the spot. These two are as sure-fire hits as they come through the portal.
However, the defensive line has a lot of question marks. The SEC and Big 10 robbed a lot of talent from the defense overall, but up front, it's most evident. Kevin Wynn and Texas State transfer Jordan Sanders have a lot on their shoulders in the middle, and if they can't occupy blockers, the Noles' pass rush will suffer in 2026.
Schedule
A bye week is exactly what the doctor ordered in a 12-game season. But it's even more welcome when you have a game against an in-state rival to prep for the following week. FSU pushed Miami last year to play its best in order to escape with a win, as is the case in a lot of in-state rivalry matchups. Fans might be forgiven for thinking the same could be true this year…if it weren't for the bye.
Miami sees Clemson on the road, then hosts FSU. Essentially, after getting acclimated to high-level ACC play on the road, the Hurricanes get to return home, have a week to get pissed off, then play in front of what will be a well-attended game at Hard Rock Stadium immediately after.
Advantage, Hurricanes, then.
Outlook
Similar to Dabo Swinney at Clemson, Norvell is on his last leg of goodwill with a legendary program used to being at the top of the sport. If the Seminoles can compete in the upper echelon of the conference again and win a few games they aren't supposed to, then he will work his way back into the good graces of FSU fans everywhere.
If he doesn't, though, and FSU slides to a seventh losing season in the last nine years, Norvell's time in Tallahassee will have come to a disappointing end. That being said, it doesn't seem likely that FSU will backslide into a record similar to last year's, and an overnight change isn't expected. If FSU ends the season above 6-6, then Norvell and the administration can sell it as trending in the right direction.
None of those six wins, though, will be against Miami on the road. The Hurricanes should take this one handily and improve to 6-0 to start the season.
The Game
Date:October 17
Time:TBA
TV:TBA
Location:Hard Rock Stadium
Series History:Miami leads 37-33
Last Meeting:2025
The Team
The Coach:Mike Norvell
Offensive Coordinator:Tim Harris Jr.
Defensive Coordinator:Tony White
2025 Record:5-7
2025 Rankings:22nd Total Offense, 43rd Total Defense
Players to Watch:Ashton Daniels, QB, RS Sr.
Top Newcomer:Xavier Chaplin, OT, Auburn
Biggest Question:Is Ashton Daniels ready for prime time?
The School
Location:Tallahassee, FL
Founded:January 24, 1851
Enrollment:46,180
Nickname:The Seminoles
Colors:FSU Garnet, FSU Gold
Mascot (Symbols):Osceola and Renegade
The Program
Last Win in the Series:2023
Last ACC Title:2023
National Championships: 1993, 1999, 2013
Playoff Appearances:1
Last missed bowl season:2025
Heisman Trophies:Charlie Ward, Chris Weinke, Jameis Winston
The Schedule
October 17, Time TBA, Florida State Seminoles @ Miami Hurricanes
This is the sixth story in Miami Hurricanes on SI'searly preview series of all 12 regular-season opponents for Miami football in 2026.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/miami as 2026 Miami Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 6: Florida State.
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