Two Games Miami Cannot Afford to Overlook in 2026

Trinton Breeze
3 min read
Heading into the new season, head coach Mario Cristobal must focus on ending the streak of losing games the Hurricanes' are projected to win.

For the last two seasons, there have been games in the regular season that caused trouble for the Miami Hurricanes. Last season, the team fell short against Louisville and SMU--two teams the Hurricanes were projected to defeat. In 2024, they also suffered two defeats to Georgia Tech and Syracuse, resulting in missing out on the College Football Playoff.

The majority of the opponents on Miami's schedule will make sure they will bring their A-Game, as the Hurricanes just recently competed in the national championship this past season. The Hurricanes will probably be the favorite in 11 of their 12 games this season, so it is simple: get it done and have no slip-ups.

Here on CanesInSight, we're taking a look at two opponents on the Miami Hurricanes' 2026-27 football schedule that a lot of 'Canes fans do not have circled, but which could potentially shape up to be a good game. One of those opponents is Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech Hokies

Last season, the Hokies finished with a record of 3-9, which led to the firing of Brent Pry. Virginia Tech dug into the Big Ten and came out with, James Franklin, who was fired at Penn State after a disappointing season with the Nittany Lions.

The Hokies return 14 starters from this past season and also have a new signal-caller, Ethan Grunkemeyer, who threw 1,339 passing yards, eight touchdowns, while throwing four interceptions.

Six defensive players return for the Hokies with key portal additions: Eric Mensah, Curtis Jones Jr., Mylachi Williams, Kenny Woseley Jr., and Cortez Harris, among others.

North Carolina Tar Heels

Another team the Hurricanes must not overlook heading into the season is North Carolina. On paper, the Hurricanes seem to have a heavy advantage. While that may be true, it is a trap game, because just a week after the Hurricanes will travel to South Bend to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The Tar Heels have not yet named a signal-caller starter for the season; however, the game is in Chapel Hill, where Miami has not won at since 2017.

Overlook

Mario Cristobal will have to make sure his team is ready and prepared each and every week for these types of matchups that the Hurricanes are heavily favored in and ensuring that they're no slip-ups in these games. Just straight business. 1-0 every week. Get the job done.
 

Comments (60)

We'll be fine against UNC (although we haven't beaten them since 2018)
 
I hope the program as a whole is over the "overlook" aspect of any team any longer.
That said, VT is at home and UNC does not have the horses, now Clemson on the other hand...on the road...
 
The formula is always the same... Play a decent team in which you're favored against while also enjoying the smell of your own farts because media and youtube can't stop telling you how great you are. That's when it happens.

Mario has been poor at assuring that locker room is free of Rat Poison.
 
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Play fast and go out trying to break records on offense and we’re guaranteed 11 wins by double digits. Play slow to win in the 4th quarter and we’re at the will of the ACC officials and our own mistakes to cost us a game. That is really Mario’s only final hurdle to overcome.
 
I’m more worried about that trip to Clemson. We won’t have played anyone up until that game, and Clemson will have already played LSU.

Pretty much everybody has written Clemson off after last season, but that’s when teams can be dangerous. They’ll be jacked up for that game. FSU is the following week so there is the whole trap game possibility as well.
 
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Mario mentality (1-0) + Mansah + Mali + Moten (returns from last 2 seasons)...

I'm not worried about preparation or focus week to week.

I want to see flawless procedure and high-level execution on game day.
 
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Technically we CANT afford to overlook @Stanford, Vs BC & Vs CMU as those would crush our resume the absolute most. I still remember when CMU gave us a game back in 2019….(NOT that I think that happens to us.) I’m just being a smart *** lol

Side note: 2019 might’ve been one of the most frustrating years iv seen as a canes fan.
- Lost to UF by 4 after a billion sacks given up
- lost to UNC at the last minute the following week
- almost lost to CMU (17-12)
- lost To VT at home and trailed 28-7 at halftime
- lost to GT in OT @home
- beat Pitt by 4 (16-12)
- LOST TO FIU AND BUTCH AND WE HAD TO SEE JALAR HOLLY DANCING IT UP ON THE SIDELINE AT HALFTIME
- PROCEEDED TO LOSE TO 4-7 DUKE 27-17
- PROCEEDED TO LOSE TO LT 14-0 and be held scoreless for the first time since we lost to UVA in the Orange bowl.

Honestly manny owes us Mensah solely for the war crimes he committed on the program between 2019-2021
 
Miami not over looking VT, thats a old big east rival. It’s Clemson and NC. Clemson has a strong front 7 and will test our Oline, NC is circled only because it’s the game before ND.
 
UNC is a mess. I think we annihilate them.

I understand why you put Virginia Tech on the list, because Franklin is gonna get an upset win over somebody. But it won't be us. Our game is too late in the year for them to sneak up on us.

I'll give you one to keep an eye on though. Wake Forest on a Friday night.

You'd be surprised at how many ranked teams are upset in Thurs/Fri night road games. In fact, I think Clemson upsets LSU to open the season only to lose at Cal on a Fri night, the week before we play them.
 
I just don’t see us overlooking anyone this year. Mario has preached “1-0 every week” all offseason long. The players have echoed this sentiment, from the leaders to the true freshmen. Their goal is to get back to the title game and finish the job, but they know the only way to do that is winning every game you’re supposed to win. There’s 11 of those. Do that, then put the whole country on notice by beating Notre Dame in South Bend when everyone in national sports media has that game penciled as a win for them just because they’re playing at home. Go into the ACC championship game 12-0 and make a statement heading into the playoffs. Get that #1 seed. Less games is less potential for season ruining injuries and an extra week to get everyone as healthy as we can. And the top seed gives you the best possible chance to be in the semifinals.

1-0 every week. 🟧🙌🟩
 
Wake Forest on a Friday night and Va Tech late in year will be trickier to me than UNC. I know Mario will have us dialed in for FSU game and he will want to embarass Pitt/Narduzzi for all his offseason comments. Clemson + ND are the circled games on schedule so we know the deal for those.
 
With this schedule, going 10-2 likely keeps us out of the playoffs (assuming we aren’t in Charlotte). The room for error is a lot smaller this year
At 10-2, we either have beaten ND which would get us in or would have only 1 ACC loss (and an ND loss) and will be in Charlotte. Win ACC or lose 2 and beat a top 10 (maybe number 1) ND…Either way, we are in.
 
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