No. 4 Miami's Remaining Schedule Isn't As Weak As Most Think: Just A Minute

The Miami Hurricanes have one of the hardest schedules in the ACC after four weeks of play in college football.

Sep 26, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney (1) celebrates after the game against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Preseason bias has been around for years, but even at the start of this season, the Miami Hurricanes' schedule looked like one of the weakest in the country.

That is why it's preseason compared to what is happening in the day-to-day world.

Now four weeks in, the rest of the schedule looks like one of the toughest in the country. Combining all of the games between each team after week 4, that record stands at 26-5.

The Wake Forest 33-20 victory looks better as the season goes on. Remember that the Demon Deacons won night games last season, and a victory over Louisville that pushed Ole Miss to the limit only helps Miami in the long run.

Sep 18, 2026; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons wide receiver Carlos Hernandez (8) is tackled by Miami (FL) Hurricanes defensive back Ethan O'Connor (24) during the second half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Does Miami have a few games that will look like feeder games: North Carolina, Florida State (even if it is a rivalry game), and Boston College? Yes. The rest, however, are teams that will be looking for one of those two spots in the ACC Championship Game.

Everyone knows about the Notre Dame game, which could be for one of the byes in the College Football Playoff. However, Miami will face off against Pitt, with one of the best quarterbacks in the country; a Duke team that has rebuilt after the Hurricanes snatched Darian Mensah and Cooper Barkate; and Virginia Tech, which has already shown higher quality with James Franklin in charge.

This weekend, the Hurricanes will take on Clemson, but in the conference, the Panthers will take on the Hokies in the first 4-0 vs. 4-0 non-ranked matchup in college football for any Power Four conference.

I just looked it up... it has never happened.

Virginia Tech-Pitt will be the first matchup in the history of modern college football to feature two unranked, 4-0 major conference teams.

It has only happened three times in ANY Division I game ever. https://t.co/5SRm81cekk

— Shelton Moss (@SheltonMoss21) September 29, 2026

Is that just voters consistently overlooking the ACC and other conferences, some of whom have left Miami off their AP ballots completely, while Missouri remains ranked as a gag for the rest of the country to see?

Sep 26, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes running back Chris Wheatley-Humphrey (25) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Central Michigan Chippewas during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Who knows, but it doesn't stop the narratives that Miami is facing a weak schedule. The Hurricanes will play the top of the ACC this season outside of SMU this season who they could also play in the ACC Championship Game. Another team could be Virginia even if they took a bad loss to West Virginia.

The Hurricanes just have to take things week by week and asoffensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said, "we'll count those chips up at the end of the year."

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