The Miami Hurricanes quickly reloaded after coming up just short of Indiana in the College Football Playoff national championship in January.

Miami received a big boost at quarterback when Darian Mensah decided to transfer from Duke after leading the Blue Devils to an improbable win in the ACC Championship Game last season. Mensah came to the Hurricanes looking for a chance to win a national championship.

Miami is expected to be the top team in the ACC this fall and should have a relatively easy path to making the CFP. Here are the top three games that will define the Hurricanes' season.

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Miami at Clemson (Oct. 3)

Miami surpassed Clemson as the king of the ACC last season. The Tigers finished with a humbling 7-6 record despite sending nine players to the 2026 NFL Draft in the first five rounds.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is out to prove 2025 was a fluke, and earning a win over the Hurricanes would be a great way to start. Miami should have more talent than the Tigers on paper for this contest, but Swinney will have his team motivated to win this game at home.

The early October contest should be the hardest ACC game Miami will play this fall.

Miami at Notre Dame (Nov. 7)

The Hurricanes dominated the Fighting Irish (especially in the trenches) in Week 1 last season, though the 27-24 final score made the game appear closer than it was. The outcome of the contest allowed Miami to surpass Notre Dame for the final CFP spot in the last ranking.

Notre Dame will have revenge on its mind when Miami comes to South Bend in chilly November. It'll also be a game the Irish need to win, because outside of BYU, the Hurricanes are the only elite competition they'll face all season.

The outcome of the game will be huge for both teams' CFP resumes.

Virginia Tech at Miami (Nov. 21)

New Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin came to Blacksburg with a chip on his shoulder after being canned from Penn State just months after leading the program to a CFP semifinal appearance. Thanks to a generous donor, VT is set to receive $75 million, with much of the money headed for the football program.

While that donation should help the Hokies after the 2026 season, Franklin needs to impress recruits this fall. For a head coach who has faced scrutiny about his inability to win big games, Franklin needs a signature win. Beating Miami on the road in November would certainly be that.

The Hurricanes need to avoid a disastrous upset in their penultimate regular season game.

For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.