2026 Boston College Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 12: Miami

It’s been three years since Boston College last faced Miami, which ended in a 45-20 blowout win for the Hurricanes, and the Eagles have lost 25 of the 31 all-time matchups, dating back to 1955. Now, BC gets another shot for redemption.

Miami enters 2026 looking to build on a stellar 2025 campaign in which it reached the national championship before falling to Indiana. The Hurricanes finished the season ranked No. 2 in the AP Top 25, and they enter this season ranked No. 7 in the AFCA Coaches Poll, which came out just last week.

Heading into the 2026 season, Miami is the clear favorite to win the ACC, as they reload with star receiver Malachi Toney and running back Mark Fletcher Jr. while adding elite transfer quarterback Darian Mensah from Duke.

But one major question looms: can its offensive line hold up after losing four starters to the NFL? Francis Mauigoa, Markel Bell, Anez Cooper, and James Brockermeyer are all gone, leaving the Hurricanes with a significant hole to fill up front.

Here’s a look at BC’s final opponent of the 2026 season:

Offense

Miami returns just three primary starters from last year's offense — Fletcher, offensive lineman Samson Okunlola, and Toney. The Hurricanes will rely heavily on that trio in terms of leadership as they look to incorporate a new quarterback and a collection of transfers into the system.

Fletcher is coming off a standout season in which he earned Cotton Bowl Offensive MVP honors and finished with 1,184 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 5.4 yards per carry.

Toney had a historic freshman campaign, leading Miami in targets and the ACC with 88 receptions while scoring nine touchdowns.

Okunlola provides some much-needed experience along the offensive line. He started 13 games at left guard last season, allowing just 1.5 sacks across 842 offensive snaps.

The biggest question on Miami’s offense, however, is how Mensah handles the transition. The Duke transfer takes over for quarterback Carson Beck, who led Miami to the national championship game before the Arizona Cardinals selected him in the third round of the draft this year.

Mensah brings starting experience and a strong arm to Miami, but he’ll be tasked with leading an offense that underwent significant roster turnover.

Head coach Mario Cristobal turned to the transfer portal and recruiting trail to replenish the unit, adding experienced pass catchers and high-upside offensive linemen around Mensah.

Miami brought in three Power-Four transfers at wide receiver, starting with Cooper Barkate from Duke, Cam Vaughn from West Virginia, and Vandrevius Jacobs from South Carolina.

Barkate caught 72 passes for 1,106 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Vaughn recorded 541 yards and five touchdowns at West Virginia and brings size to the outside. Jacobs is another big-play threat after averaging 17.1 yards per catch at South Carolina as a redshirt sophomore.

Miami also added plenty of young talent to rebuild its O-line. Freshman Jackson Cantwell, ranked the No. 1 offensive lineman in the country, could step directly into a starting role at tackle.

Georgia transfer Jamal Meriweather adds experience and competition, while freshmen Ben Congdon and Joel Ervin are among the young blockers pushing for early playing time.

Behind Fletcher, Miami added running backs Marty Brown and Girard Pringle Jr. to provide depth in the backfield. Freshman tight end Luka Gilbert is another young option who could see time in the passing game.

The Hurricanes have plenty of proven talent at the skill positions, but BC could look to test Miami’s revamped offensive line early. If the Eagles can pressure Mensah and limit Fletcher, they could force the new-look Hurricanes offense into some uncomfortable situations.

Defense

Miami’s defense was one of the best in the country last season, and the Hurricanes have plenty of pieces back to make another run at the top of the ACC. Under defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman, Miami finished fifth nationally in scoring defense at 14.8 points per game, including 12th in total defense, and fourth in sacks.

The strength of the unit starts up front with defensive tackle Ahmad Moten, who returns for his senior season as the leader of the Hurricanes’ defensive line. The Cardinal Gibbons product started all 14 games in 2025, earning second-team All-ACC honors after recording career highs in tackles (31), tackles for loss (nine), sacks (4.5), and quarterback pressures (27) across 471 snaps.

Moten will be joined by Justin Scott, who recorded 26 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 16 pressures last season. Miami will also look to build depth at defensive tackle with Nebraska transfer Keona Davis and Ohio State transfer Jarquez Carter.

On the edge, Miami added one of the nation’s top pass rushers in Missouri transfer Damon Wilson. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound senior earned second-team All-SEC honors last season after recording nine sacks and 40 pressures.

Miami also has Marquise Lightfoot, an internal rising star who has spent his entire career in the Hurricanes’ system. He finished his sophomore campaign with 25 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, and 2.5 sacks with only one start.

He also made a critical impact in Miami’s College Football Playoff run, hitting Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin and forcing the game-clinching interception in the Cotton Bowl.

The Hurricanes’ linebacker corps is led by veterans Mohamed Toure and Chase Smith. Toure transferred to Miami after overcoming two ACL tears at Rutgers and immediately became a major contributor, leading the Hurricanes with 84 tackles last season. Now fully healthy and playing without a knee brace, Toure enters the season as one of the unit's most experienced defenders.

Miami also has athleticism and versatility behind Toure. Bobby Pruitt, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker, is expected to provide another dynamic option in the rotation, while 6-foot-4, 235-pound Kellen Wiley Jr. brings size and physicality to the group.

The deepest part of the Hurricanes' defense, however, could be their secondary. Miami threw several freshmen and sophomores into significant roles last season, and that experience could pay off in 2026.

At cornerback, Xavier Lucas and OJ Frederique Jr. are expected to see the most starts, but Ethan O’Connor, Damari Brown, and former Eagle Omar Thornton give the Hurricanes a deep rotation that should allow them to keep fresh legs on the field.

The biggest area for improvement in the secondary is creating turnovers. Lucas, Frederique, and O’Connor all had opportunities to make interceptions during Miami’s playoff run last season but couldn’t consistently turn those chances into takeaways. With another year of experience, the Hurricanes will look for those near-misses to become game-changing plays.

Brown’s return is another storyline to watch. After suffering an ACL injury during the 2024 season, he saw limited action last year while working his way back. When healthy, though, Brown showed that he can be a difference-maker in the secondary.

Schedule

Miami has the 45th toughest schedule in the nation this season, according to ESPN’s preseason Football Power Index. The Hurricanes’ out-of-conference schedule includes matchups with Florida A&M, Central Michigan, and Notre Dame.

Outlook

History — and the numbers — heavily favor Miami. The Hurricanes have dominated this matchup, and ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Miami a 96.8 percent chance to win.

Still, the Eagles have an opportunity to make the game competitive. BC enters the matchup with a team capable of challenging Miami on both sides of the ball, but it will need to have a near-complete game to pull off the upset.

The Game

Date: Saturday, Nov. 28, 2026

Time: TBD

TV: TBD

Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.

Series history: The Hurricanes lead the all-time series 25-6.

Last meeting: These two teams last met on Nov. 24, 2023, in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Miami won 45-20.

The Team

Head coach: Mario Cristobal

Offensive coordinator: Shannon Dawson

Defensive coordinator: Corey Hetherman

2025 record: 13-3

Returning starters: 10 (3 on offense, 7 on defense)

Players to watch: QB Darian Mensah, RB Mark Fletcher Jr., WR Malachi Toney, DT Ahmad Moten, EDGE Damon Wilson

The School

Location: Coral Gables, Fla.

Founded: 1925

Enrollment: 19,000

Nickname: The Hurricanes

Colors: Orange, green, and white

Mascot: Sebastian the Ibis

The Program

Last time beat BC: 2023

Last time won ACC: Miami has never won an ACC championship since joining the conference in 2004. The Hurricanes have won nine championships in the Big East conference.

National championships: 5 (1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, and 2001)

Conference championships: 9 (1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 in Big East).

Heisman winners: QB Vinny Testaverde (1986) and QB Gino Torretta (1992)

2026 NFL Draft

OT Francis Mauigoa, New York Giants – Round 1, No. 10

DL Rueben Bain, Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Round 1, No. 15

DL Akheem Mesidor, Los Angeles Chargers – Round 1, No. 22

QB Carson Beck, Arizona Cardinals – Round 3, No. 65

OL Markel Bell, Philadelphia Eagles – Round 3, No. 68

DB Jakobe Thomas, Minnesota Vikings – Round 3, No. 98

DB Keionte Scott, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Round 4, No. 116

OL Anez Cooper, New York Jets – Round 6, No. 188

WR CJ Daniels, Los Angeles Rams – Round 6, No. 197

Last Four Recruiting Rankings

No. 9 (2026), No. 14 (2025), No. 6 (2024), and No. 7 (2023)

The Schedule

Sept. 4: at Stanford

Sept. 10: vs. Florida A&M

Sept. 18: at Wake Forest

Sept. 26: vs. Central Michigan

Oct. 3: at Clemson

Oct. 17: vs. Florida State

Oct. 24: vs. Pittsburgh

Oct. 31: at UNC Chapel Hill

Nov. 7: at Notre Dame

Nov. 14: vs. Duke

Nov. 21: vs. Virginia Tech

Nov. 28: vs. Boston College

Early Opponent Preview Series:

This is the 12th and final story in Boston College Eagles On SI's summer preview series of all 12 regular-season opponents for Boston College football in 2026.

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