In-state matchups with Florida, FSU, USF highlight the Hurricanes’ 2024 schedule

A new year is here, and 2023 is in the rearview mirror.

The Hurricanes won’t take the field for about nine months, and a lot can happen between now and Aug. 31. But entering the new year, Miami’s 2024 schedule looks like it could be pretty favorable.

There are no cupcakes to open the season. The Hurricanes get off to a quick start with a road trip to Gainesville to reignite their in-state rivalry with the Gators.

Here is a quick look at what Miami’s 2024 schedule looks like. The dates of UM’s ACC games have not been announced yet.

Aug. 31: at Florida

Both coaches in this game, Mario Cristobal and UF’s Billy Napier, got their current jobs after the 2021 season. Both enter this season with losing records in the first two years of their tenure. Despite both coaches’ struggles, the Gators’ head coach appears likely to enter the season in a more precarious position. This game could be a big tone-setter for both teams to start the season.

Sept. 7: vs. Florida A&M

Games against FCS opponents are usually ones you can mark down as automatic wins. But the Rattlers are coming off an excellent, 12-1 season. FAMU won the SWAC and the Celebration Bowl. However, the Rattlers will have to replace head coach Willie Simmons, who left to become Duke’s new running backs coach. 

Sept. 14: vs. Ball State

Miami brings another Mid-American Conference team to Hard Rock Stadium after beating Miami (Ohio) last season, and Ball State should be a fairly easy opponent. The Cardinals went 4-8 last year and were not competitive against their two Power 5 opponents last season.

Sept. 21: at USF

The Hurricanes travel to face another in-state school for their fourth game. The Bulls appear to be on an upswing under second-year coach Alex Golesh, who led USF to a 7-6 record and ended the year with a 45-0 rout of Syracuse in the Boca Raton Bowl. UM also finished the season 7-6.

TBD: at Cal

Miami will make its first regular-season trip to the West Coast since playing Washington in 2000 and its first road game in California since facing UCLA to open the 1995 season. The Golden Bears, who are one of three new additions to the ACC, went 6-7 last season, losing their bowl game to Texas Tech.

TBD: vs. Duke

There will be a familiar face on the Hard Rock Stadium sidelines when the Blue Devils come to visit. Former Miami coach Manny Diaz is Duke’s new head coach, taking over after two seasons as Penn State’s defensive coordinator. Under former coach Mike Elko, who left to take over for Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M, the Blue Devils went 8-5. Duke also added talented Texas transfer Maalik Murphy at quarterback.

TBD: vs. Florida State

The Seminoles, coming off a 13-1 season and an ACC title, will look to extend their winning streak over rival Miami to four straight. Florida State will be missing a lot of the key players who made UM’s life difficult in their past three games against year other, including quarterback Jordan Travis and defensive lineman Jared Verse. This could also be the last year of the rivalry in its current format, as FSU is aiming to leave the ACC.

TBD: at Georgia Tech

The Hurricanes go back to Atlanta after last year’s game against the Yellow Jackets ended in disaster. Miami will look to replicate the results it had against Georgia Tech in Atlanta when it cruised to a multi-touchdown win. But under coach Brent Key, the Yellow Jackets have shown improvement. After beating Miami last year, Georgia Tech finished the season 4-3 and won its bowl game.

TBD: at Louisville

Before Cal, Stanford and SMU joined the ACC, Miami-Louisville was going to be an annual rivalry series. But with those additions, the Hurricanes won’t travel to Louisville again until after 2030. The Cardinals and Hurricanes introduced a new trophy for this rivalry series, the Howard Schnellenberger Trophy, last season. Louisville was the first trophy winner after holding onto a close win over UM last year.

TBD: vs. Syracuse

Miami hosts Syracuse for the first time since 2017 and has won six straight games against the Orange. Syracuse ended the year on a down note, losing six of their last eight regular-season games before getting blown out by USF in the Boca Raton Bowl. Syracuse fired coach Dino Babers and replaced him with former Georgia assistant coach Fran Brown this offseason.

TBD: vs. Virginia Tech

After a one-year hiatus, the UM-Virginia Tech rivalry will once again be an annual rivalry after the ACC changed its scheduling model again. The two teams last faced off in Blacksburg, Virginia, in 2022, and Miami leads the all-time series 25-15. The Hokies went 7-6 last season and ended the year with a bowl win over a ranked Tulane team in the Military Bowl.

TBD: vs. Wake Forest

The Demon Deacons come down to South Florida for the first time since 2013. Wake Forest had a down season in 2023, going 4-8 and losing its last five games of the year. The Hurricanes are 8-3 all-time against the Demon Deacons and have won the last seven matchups dating back to 1944.