2026 Miami Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 12: Boston College
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This is the 12th edition of Miami Hurricanes on SI's breakdown of each team on the 2026-27 Miami Hurricanes football schedule.
Miami is a football school. Notre Dame is a football school. Alabama is a football school. Some schools simply do well in football. It's their thing. They pride themselves on it. Boston College is not one of those schools.
Its head coach, though, Bill O'Brien, is a football guy through and through, and he's now being tasked for the third consecutive year with the daunting feat of reviving the Boston College football program. The first two years haven't gone well, and while there's still some hope left in this year's roster, his goodwill on Chestnut Hill is quickly running out.
The Offense
Luckily for Boston College, its head skipper knows a thing or two about offense. Last year's team could move the ball through the air, but struggled in the pass game. The quarterback from that 2025 crew, Dylan Lonergan, is now at Rutgers, but O'Brien pulled out a few tricks through the portal in Arkansas transfer Grayson Wilson and Saginaw Valley State (D2) transfer Mason McKenzie.
By far, though, the worst part of last year's team was the offensive line. O'Brien and company did what they could through the portal, adding the likes of Michigan State transfer Kristian Phillips and Jacksonville State transfer Reggie Jackson, but it will still take significant improvements to make this a competitive unit in 2026.
As much as everyone likes to think that they improve every offseason, sometimes, it simply doesn't work that way. If you're not getting better at the same rate as your competitors, you might as well be getting worse, and while some believe that BC can manufacture some sort of turnaround in 2026, somebody has to lose in this conference.
Defense
If there's one area where BC fans can point to real money being spent, it's on the defensive side of the ball. It cannot be stressed enough just how bad the BC defense was last year, but new defensive coordinator Ted Roof has a slew of new players to work with on that side.
It all starts over the middle of the field, though, as the BC linebacker corps hit a massive refresh by bringing in Bodie Kahoun from Notre Dame, Justin Medlock from SMU and Anthony Palano from Washington State. Those three should shore up the 4-2-5 along with a veteran secondary led by long-time Eagle KP Price.
On the front, the portal haul is headlined by Kris Jones from Georgia, who may not have played much up to this point, but he's a true SEC edge rusher that Kirby Smart had a vested interest in at one point. BC is fishing in the right barrel for these, at least.
That's well and good, but the simple reality is that if the defense doesn't find a way to get markedly better in 2026, this could very well be O'Brien's last season on the Hill. What does that mean for Miami? Simple. They'll see better production and better talent in spurts throughout the season. Just show up, clock in, go to work, and the result should speak for itself.
Schedule
A breath of fresh air and an easy win should be a fitting season-ending reward for a Miami team that, at this point, shouldn't have any more than one loss on the year and should be eyeing another trip to the College Football Playoff.
Additionally, if this is O'Brien's last year at BC, there's a realistic possibility he won't be around by game 12, given that mid-season coach firings are all the rage these days. All that means that Miami should coast through this one to a win, and on senior day, plenty of backups should be able to get some meaningful reps against an ACC opponent.
Outlook
At this point, the idea of returning to the CFP should be the "main thing" on Miami's mind. In Coral Gables, this game will be senior day for a group of veteran Hurricanes that clawed their way to the upper echelon of college football with head coach Mario Cristobal.
There will be tears, sure, but overall, it should be a great day to be a Hurricane, with nothing but the chance at another bid for a national title on everyone's minds.
Give me the Canes in this one in a cruise-control victory.
The Game
Date: November 28
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Location: Hard Rock Stadium
Series History: Miami leads 25-6
Last Meeting: 2023
The Team
The Coach: Bill O'Brien
Offensive Coordinator: Bill O'Brien
Defensive Coordinator: Ted Roof
2025 Record: 2-10
2025 Rankings: 85th Total Offense, 123rd Total Defense
Players to Watch: Mason McKenzie, QB
Top Newcomer: Kris Jones, EDGE, Georgia
Biggest Question: Can O'Brien and his staff dig BC out of the ACC basement?
The School
Location: Newton, Massachusetts
Founded: March 31, 1863
Enrollment: ~15,474
Nickname: Eagles
Colors: Maroon and Gold
Mascot (Symbols): Baldwin the Eagle
The Program
Last Win in the Series: 202218
Last ACC Title: 2025
National Championships: NA
Playoff Appearances: NA
Last missed bowl season: 2025
Heisman Trophies: 1 (Doug Flutie)
The Schedule
November 28, Time TBA, Boston College Eagles @ Miami Hurricanes
This is the 12th story in Miami Hurricanes on SI's early preview series of all 12 regular-season opponents for Miami football in 2026.
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Tanner Marlar is a contributing writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI who has covered collegiate athletics at the local and national levels for nearly a decade, including at Cowbell Country, Mississippi State On SI, Boston College On SI, and Vanderbilt Commodores On SI. As a former beat writer, Tanner strives to give thought provoking and exciting coverage to readers who want to know the very best current information about their team.
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