Miami Hurricanes football

History

Early history (1926–1978)

The University of Miami football program began with a freshman team in 1926. The program's first game was a 7–0 victory over Rollins College on October 23, 1926 before 304 fans. Under the guidance of head coach Howard "Cub" Buck, a former NFL player, the freshman team posted an undefeated 8–0 record in its inaugural season. Two of Miami's wins in 1926 came against the University of Havana, one on Thanksgiving Day in Miami and one in Havana, Cuba, on Christmas Day. The Hurricanes won both games against the University of Havana by an identical shutout score of 23–0.

The Hurricanes won their last home game of its inaugural 1926 season against Howard College, now Samford University, 9–7, at the University of Miami's University Stadium. Its win over Howard College was also the first Hurricane football game played on New Year's Day.

The following year, in 1927, the team adopted the "Miami Hurricanes" as the name for its athletic teams. The origins of the name are not exactly clear; some reports suggest the name was a reference to the devastating power of the 1926 hurricane that postponed the program's first game by a month, and others that it was suggested by a player in response to rumors that university officials wanted to name the team after local flora or fauna.

Varsity competition began in 1927, with the Hurricanes beating Rollins, 39–3, in its first game and going on to a 3–6–1 record. The team improved to 4–4–1 in 1928, but the program fired Buck, who was replaced prior to the 1929 season with J. Burton Rix, previously head coach at Southern Methodist. Rix's arrival was funded by a group of local businessmen.

Rix was replaced the following season, in 1930, by Ernest Brett. The Hurricanes played Temple in its first game outside the South, losing 34–0 in a game played in Atlantic City, New Jersey. On October 31, 1930, the Hurricanes played in one of the nation's first night games, facing Bowden College in Miami.

Brett only lasted one year, and Tom McCann became the program's fourth head coach in 1931. Under McCann, the football program experienced its most successful seasons to that date.

Howard Schnellenberger era (1979–1983)

In the wake of Saban's departure, the extensive coaching upheaval the Hurricanes faced in the prior decade, and various fiscal challenges then confronting the university, the university's board of trustees considered holding a vote on whether to reclassify the football program at the Division I-AA level, or even eliminate it altogether. University of Miami executive vice president John L. Green Jr. successfully convinced the board to give Division I-A football another shot. To replace Saban, the Hurricanes hired Howard Schnellenberger, the former head coach of the Baltimore Colts from 1973 to 1974 and the offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins under Don Shula. In 1972, Shula and Schnellenberger led the Dolphins to the first and only undefeated, Super Bowl-winning season in NFL history. In addition to his NFL experience, Schnellenberger had played end at Kentucky from 1952 to 1956 under head coach Bear Bryant and then served as Bryant's offensive coordinator at Alabama from 1961 to 1965, helping the Crimson Tide win three national championships in 1961, 1964, and 1965.

At the outset of his tenure, Howard Schnellenberger announced to his staff and players his intention to win a national championship within five years, a bold claim for a program that was seemingly on its last legs. His five-year plan had two main priorities: installing a pro-style passing offense and upgrading the talent level on the roster through a new recruiting strategy aimed at heavily targeting the best local talent from the city of Miami and the region of South Florida, a strategy that would drastically change national recruiting in the state of Florida in the coming years. On the recruiting front, Schnellenberger spoke of mining the "State of Miami", which entailed fencing off the fertile South Florida recruiting base from other programs and cherry-picking the rest of the nation for a few choice recruits. To help with the new pro-style offense, Schnellenberger hired former Baltimore Colts quarterback Earl Morrall as a volunteer quarterbacks coach. Schnellenberger also sought to exploit the freedom provided by Miami's independent schedule to gain "intersectional exposure" and make the program "national".

On the field, Miami went 5–6 in Schnellenberger's debut season, which was highlighted by a 26–10 upset win at No. 16 Penn State in which redshirt freshman Jim Kelly threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start as Miami's quarterback.

Schnellenberger set a bowl berth as the goal of the 1980 campaign and the team made good on its head coach's expectations, winning nine games and earning a trip to the 1981 Peach Bowl, where the Hurricanes defeated Virginia Tech 20–10. The bowl berth was Miami's first since 1967 and the team finished the season ranked 18th in both the AP and Coaches' Polls.

Jimmy Johnson era (1984–1988)

Two weeks later, athletic director Sam Jankovich hired Oklahoma State head coach Jimmy Johnson to fill the vacancy. One of Jimmy Johnson's immediate priorities upon taking over as Miami head coach was to switch to a 4–3 defense. Johnson wanted to implement the change for his first season, but lacking the time, personnel, and staff, he decided to postpone the switch and kept Schnellenberger's 5–2 defensive package for the 1984 season.

The team struggled to an 8–5 record in Johnson's first season, losing a number of noteworthy games. In the next-to-last game of the regular season, the No. 6 Hurricanes squandered a 31–0 halftime lead against Maryland and lost 42–40 in what was then the biggest comeback in NCAA football history. The following week, Miami lost 47–45 when Boston College's Doug Flutie connected with Gerard Phelan for a 48-yard Hail Mary touchdown on the final play in what has been called the Hail Flutie game. The Hurricanes ended the season on a three-game losing streak by dropping the 1985 Fiesta Bowl to UCLA, 39–37, in a game that featured six lead changes.

During the off-season, Johnson made a number of coaching changes, facilitating the switch to the 4–3 defense, and junior Vinny Testaverde succeeded early-graduate Bernie Kosar at quarterback.

The 1985 team opened the season with a loss at Florida before winning their next four games, including a 38–0 win over Cincinnati that began a then NCAA-record 58 game home winning streak, heading into a matchup at No. 3 Oklahoma. Facing the nation's top-rated defense, Testaverde amassed 270 yards passing and threw touchdowns to Michael Irvin and Brian Blades, while also running for an additional score, in a 27–14 win over the Sooners. The Hurricanes ascended to number two in the rankings following a 58–7 victory over Notre Dame in the final game of the regular season, earning a trip to the Sugar Bowl to play the No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers. With No. 1 Penn State losing to Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, Miami was in position to capture its second national championship, but those hopes were dashed with a lopsided 35–7 loss to Tennessee.

Miami opened its 1986 season as the third-ranked team in the country and climbed to number two after winning its first three games, setting up a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown at the Orange Bowl against top-ranked and defending national champion Oklahoma. After much pre-game trash-talk between Oklahoma's Brian Bosworth and Miami's Melvin Bratton and Alonzo Highsmith, Testaverde tossed four touchdown passes in a 28–16 win. Testaverde's performance led Oklahoma head coach Barry Switzer to remark that he had "never seen a better quarterback" in his 21 years with the Sooners, and at the conclusion of the regular season, Testaverde was awarded the Heisman Trophy with the fifth largest margin of victory in the voting's history.

Dennis Erickson era (1989–1994)

Despite having the support of students, players, and even the Miami police and fire departments, offensive coordinator Gary Stevens was bypassed for the head coaching job and athletic director Sam Jankovich chose Dennis Erickson of Washington State to succeed Jimmy Johnson instead.

In 1989, Erickson became just the second Division I head coach to win a national championship in his first season at a school. Erickson's 1989 team, led by Craig Erickson (no relation) at quarterback, rebounded from a 24–10 mid-season loss at Florida State and moved back into the national championship picture with a 27–10 win over then-top-ranked Notre Dame in the final regular-season game. Miami's 33–25 win over No. 7 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, combined with No. 1 Colorado's loss to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, earned the program its third national championship.

On October 28, 1989, Miami mascot Sebastian the Ibis was tackled by a group of police officers for attempting to put out Chief Osceola's flaming spear prior to Miami's game against long-standing rival Florida State at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee. Sebastian was wearing a fireman's helmet and yellow raincoat and holding a fire extinguisher. When a police officer attempted to grab the fire extinguisher, the officer was sprayed in the chest. Sebastian was handcuffed by four officers but ultimately released. Miami quarterback Gino Torretta, who started the game in place of injured Craig Erickson, told ESPN, "Even if we weren't bad boys, it added to the mystique that, 'Man, look, even their mascot's getting arrested.'"

Miami entered the following season as the number one team in the country, but a 28–21 upset loss to Ty Detmer and No. 16 BYU in the opener derailed both the team's national championship chances and Craig Erickson's nascent Heisman campaign. Later in the year, the Hurricanes lost to Notre Dame 29–20 in a game dubbed the "Final Conflict", as Notre Dame had decided to discontinue the 27-game rivalry, feeling the intensity of the series had reached an unhealthy level. Miami ended the season with a 46–3 Cotton Bowl Classic victory over No. 3 Texas in the 1991 Cotton Bowl Classic in which the team was penalized a bowl- and school-record 16 times for 202 yards, including nine unsportsmanlike conduct or personal foul penalties. On one play, Randal Hill scored on a 48-yard touchdown reception and continued to sprint out of the end zone and up the Cotton Bowl tunnel, where he then pretended to shoot at the Longhorns with imaginary pistols. The program was widely criticized for its conduct, with Will McDonough of the Boston Globe likening the Cotton Bowl Classic display to a "wilding" and Bill Walsh calling it "the most disgusting thing [he'd] ever seen in college sports". After the season, the NCAA responded with the so-called "Miami Rule", which made it a 15-yard penalty to engage in excessive celebration or flagrant taunting. Also during the off-season, Miami ended its 48-year status as an independent and joined the Big East Conference.

Butch Davis era (1995–2000)

Following Erickson's departure, Miami initially pursued former University of Miami defensive coordinator and then-Colorado State head coach Sonny Lubick; however, he withdrew from consideration and opted to remain with the Rams. Eventually, Miami settled on another former Hurricanes defensive assistant coach, then-Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Butch Davis.

The Hurricanes finished Davis's first season with a record of 8–3. However, on December 20, 1995, the NCAA announced that Miami would be subject to severe sanctions for numerous infractions within the athletic department. The Hurricanes were forced to sit out postseason play for the first time since 1982 and docked 31 scholarships from 1996 to 1998. Miami had actually self-reported the violations in 1991. However, when the Department of Education got word that school officials helped athletes fraudulently obtain Pell Grants, it asked Miami to stop its own investigation while it conducted its own. Ultimately, 60 athletes were implicated, but all of them avoided criminal charges after being sent through a pretrial diversion program.

In 1994, Tony Russell, a former University of Miami academic advisor, pleaded guilty to helping more than 80 student athletes, 57 of whom were football players, falsify Pell Grant applications in exchange for kickbacks from the players themselves. The scandal dated all the way back to 1989 and fraudulently secured more than $220,000 in federal grants. Federal officials later said that Russell had engineered "perhaps the largest centralized fraud ever committed" in the history of the Pell Grant program.

In late 1995, the NCAA concluded that, in addition to the fraudulent Pell Grants facilitated by Russell, the university had also provided or allowed over $400,000 worth of other, improper payments to Miami football players. The NCAA also found that the university had failed to wholly implement its drug testing program, and permitted three football student-athletes to compete without being subject to the required disciplinary measures specified in the policy. The NCAA found that this was evidence that school officials didn't have adequate control over the football program. Miami docked itself seven scholarships as part of a self-imposed sanction in 1995, and the NCAA took away another 24 scholarships over the next two years.

As a result of the scandal, Sports Illustrated's Alexander Wolff wrote a famed and controversial cover story, arguing that Miami should at least temporarily shut down its football program.

Larry Coker era (2001–2006)

After being turned down by Wisconsin head coach Barry Alvarez, athletics director Paul Dee promoted offensive coordinator Larry Coker to head coach to replace Butch Davis.

Angered at being snubbed by the BCS, the Hurricanes stormed through the 2001 season. They opened the season with a 33–7, nationally televised rout over Penn State in Beaver Stadium. Miami followed up the victory with equally decisive Rutgers, Pittsburgh, and Troy. After building up a 4–0 record, the Hurricanes defeated Florida State in Doak Campbell Stadium, 49–27, ending the Seminoles' 54-game home unbeaten streak. The Hurricanes then defeated West Virginia, 45–3, and Temple, 38–0, before heading to Chestnut Hill to take on Boston College. In the final minute of the fourth quarter, with Miami clinging to a 12–7 lead, Boston College quarterback Brian St. Pierre led the Eagles from their own 30-yard line all the way down to the Hurricanes' 9. With BC on the verge of a momentous upset, St. Pierre attempted a pass to receiver Ryan Read at the Miami 2-yard line. However, the ball deflected off the leg of Miami cornerback Mike Rumph, landing in the hands of defensive end Matt Walters. Walters ran ten yards with the ball before teammate Ed Reed grabbed the ball out of his hands at around the Miami 20-yard line and raced the remaining 80-yards for a touchdown, resulting in an 18–7 Miami victory. After surviving this scare, Miami shutout No. 14 Syracuse, 59–0, and defeated No. 12 Washington, 65–7 in the Orange Bowl. The combined 124–7 score set what the Orlando Sentinel described as an NCAA-record for the largest margin of victory over consecutive ranked opponents.

The final hurdle to the 2002 Rose Bowl BCS National Championship Game was at Virginia Tech. Miami jumped on Virginia Tech early, leading 20–3 at halftime, and 26–10 in the fourth quarter. But despite being outgained by the Hurricanes by 134 yards and being dominated in time-of-possession, the Hokies never quit. Virginia Tech added a couple of late touchdowns, attempting two-point conversions on each. The first conversion was successful, pulling them to 26–18, but receiver Ernest Wilford dropped a pass from quarterback Grant Noel in the end zone for the second conversion. Still, the resilient Hokies had one more chance to win the game late, taking possession of the ball at midfield and needing only a field goal to take the lead. But a diving, game-saving interception by Ed Reed sealed the Miami victory, 26–24. Defeating Virginia Tech earned the top-ranked Hurricanes an invitation to the 2002 Rose Bowl to take on BCS No. 2 Nebraska for the national championship.

Randy Shannon era (2007–2010)

After a search that lasted two weeks, Miami athletics director Paul Dee named defensive coordinator Randy Shannon, a starting linebacker on the 1987 national champions, as the Hurricanes' 22nd head coach on December 8, 2006. Shannon reportedly agreed to a four-year deal worth over $4 million. His hiring made him the first African American head coach in Miami football history. One of Shannon's first acts as head coach was to impose a strict code of conduct for the team enacted in large part due to the misbehavior and arrests of Miami players during Larry Coker's tenure as head coach.

Shannon's first year as University of Miami's head coach in 2007 was one of the worst in the Hurricanes' modern history, with the team registering a losing 5–7 record. Under Shannon, the team failed to reach a bowl game for the first time in a decade. Notably, it was the first time in 25 years that the Hurricanes had missed a bowl game with a full complement of scholarships.

Media draft experts considered the freshmen on the 2008 team to be one of the top recruiting classes in the nation. The 2008 season resulted in a 7–6 record. The regular season was highlighted by losses to rivals Florida, and Florida State, and an upset victory over Virginia Tech. The 26–3 loss to Florida was Miami's first in that series since 1985, snapping a 6-game winning streak against the Gators. Afterwards, the tension between the two teams was heightened when Shannon accused Florida coach Urban Meyer of trying to run up the score with an unsuccessful deep pass into the end zone in the game's final minute. The visiting Hurricanes were 221⁄2 point underdogs in the nationally televised game but only trailed 9–3 heading into the fourth quarter, leading some to wonder whether Meyer was trying to compensate for his team's unimpressive performance before kicking a field goal with :25 remaining".

Miami was knocked out of ACC Championship contention with a late-season loss to Georgia Tech in which the Hurricanes surrendered the second-most rushing yards in school history (472). The Hurricanes finished the 2008 season with a 24–17 loss to California in the Emerald Bowl.

After the 2008 season, Shannon fired offensive coordinator Patrick Nix, citing philosophical differences. Also, starting quarterback Robert Marve left the team because he claimed not to be able to play for Coach Shannon. Shannon placed strict restrictions on Marve's potential transfer destinations and received much criticism in the media. However, the University of Miami claimed in a press release that the restrictions were set because of suspected tampering by Marve's family or others on behalf of the Marve family.

Al Golden era (2011–2015)

On December 13, 2010, it was announced that athletics director Kirby Hocutt hired Temple head coach Al Golden as the program's 23rd head coach. Golden was regarded as an up-and-coming coach who had turned around an abysmal Temple football program. Shortly after announcing Golden's hiring, Miami signed Golden to a five-year contract.

In 2011, Golden's first season, the Hurricanes posted a 6–6 record. It was only the third time, since 1979, that the program had failed to register a winning record. The Hurricanes kicked off the season with a 32–24 loss to Maryland. After upsetting No. 17 Ohio State, the Hurricanes lost to Kansas State by a margin of 28–24. Golden's team defeated in-state FCS foe Bethune-Cookman on October 1 by a score of 45–14. After a close 38–35 loss to Virginia Tech, Miami defeated North Carolina by a score of 30–24 and No. 20 Georgia Tech by a score of 24–7. The Hurricanes alternated between win and loss for the remainder of the season; losing to Virginia 28–21, defeating Duke 49–14, losing to archrival Florida State 23–19 beating South Florida in a 6–3 defensive struggle and losing to Boston College by a score of 24–17.

On November 25, 2011, Miami signed Golden to a raise and four-year contract extension through the 2019 season.

In 2012, the Hurricanes finished with a 7–5 mark. They started the season with a 41–32 victory over Boston College on September 1. After a 52–13 blowout loss to Kansas State,

Golden's team won their next three; defeating Bethune-Cookman 38–10, Georgia Tech 42–36 and NC State 44–37. Next, however, the Hurricanes lost their next three, dropping a 41–3 blowout to No. 9 Notre Dame, an 18–14 struggle to North Carolina, and a 33–20 loss to No. 12 Florida State. On November 1, Miami defeated Virginia Tech by a score of 30–12. After a heartbreaking 41–40 loss to Virginia, the Hurricanes won their last two; dominating South Florida 40–9 and outlasting Duke by a score of 52–45. This resulted in a three-way tie, with North Carolina and Georgia Tech, for the best record in the ACC Coastal Division. North Carolina, which had defeated the Hurricanes earlier in the season, would have been declared the coastal division champion based on the ACC tie breaker formula. However, due to NCAA sanctions, they were ineligible for postseason play.

Mark Richt era (2016–2018)

On December 4, 2015, former Georgia head coach Mark Richt was named Miami's 24th head football coach. The hiring generated much excitement and was well-received and praised all across the country. Although he had recently been fired as head coach of the Bulldogs, Richt achieved great successes during his 15 years as Georgia head coach. His teams represented the SEC in three BCS bowl appearances with a record of 2–1, and finished in the top ten of the final AP Poll seven times (2002–2005, 2007, 2012, 2014). His 2008 team also finished in the top ten of the coaches poll. His Georgia teams averaged about nine wins per season, won two Southeastern Conference championship games and reached four more, reached bowl games each of his 15 seasons as head coach and sent many players to National Football League playing careers.

Richt had prior ties to the Miami football program, having played quarterback for the Hurricanes under Lou Saban and Howard Schnellenberger from 1978 to 1982 and, despite being behind the likes of Jim Kelly, Vinny Testaverde and Bernie Kosar on the depth chart, amassed nearly 1,500 passing yards during his college playing career. Richt also served as offensive coordinator at Florida State from 1994 to 2000 under Bobby Bowden, overseeing an offense that was one of the most potent in the country, won two national championships, and produced two Heisman Trophy winners in Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke. Miami signed Richt to a five-year contract worth $4.1 million annually.

The Hurricanes improved to 9–4 in 2016. They began the season on September 3 by blowing out in-state FCS opponent Florida A&M 70–3. The next week, the Hurricanes defeated Florida Atlantic by a score of 38–10. After defeating Appalachian State 45–10, Miami defeated Georgia Tech by a score of 35–21 to record their first Atlantic Coast Conference win under Richt. Then, the Hurricanes embarked upon a four-game losing streak, dropping games to No. 23 Florida State by a score of 20–19, North Carolina by a margin of 20–13, Virginia Tech by a count of 37–16 and Notre Dame to the tune of 30–27.

The Hurricanes rebounded to win their last five games of the season, a 51–28 trouncing of Pittsburgh, a 34–14 victory over Virginia, a 27–13 win over NC State and a 40–21 win over Duke with quarterback Brad Kaaya becoming Miami's all-time leading passer to close the regular season. On December 28, 2016, Richt led the Hurricanes to their first bowl win in 10 years, when they defeated No. 16 West Virginia in the 2016 Russell Athletic Bowl by a score of 31–14.

Manny Diaz era (2019–2021)

The University of Miami hired Manny Diaz as their new head coach on December 30, 2018. A Miami native, Diaz had previously been the team's defensive coordinator the previous three seasons.

Diaz had been hired as head coach by Temple 17 days prior to Richt's retirement. On December 30, 2018, however, Diaz withdrew his commitment to Temple to accept the head coach opportunity at Miami.

Diaz compiled a 21–15 record as head coach during the 2019, 2020, and 2021 seasons. On December 6, 2021, Miami fired Diaz.

Mario Cristobal era (2021–present)

On December 7, 2021, the University of Miami announced the hiring of Mario Cristobal, a former Miami Hurricanes lineman and member of two University of Miami championship teams in 1989 and 1991, and the former head coach of the University of Oregon, as the new head coach.

In his first season, in 2022, Cristobal had a 5–7 record and brought in a much improved recruiting class. In Cristobal's second season as head coach, in 2023, the team registered a 7–6 record and appeared in the 2023 Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium, where it lost to Rutgers 31–24.

The 2024 team saw significant improvements over recent years and finished with a 10–3 record. Quarterback Cam Ward was a Heisman front runner all season long, and became the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. However, the team experienced disappointment after missing out on both the ACC Championship Game and losing the 2024 Pop-Tarts Bowl to Iowa State 42-41.

In 2025, Miami took another step forward, with their best campaign in over 20 years. Miami got off to a hot start, defeating #6 Notre Dame. After beating in-state rivals Florida and Florida State, Miami jumped up to second in the AP Poll. An at home upset loss to Louisville and a road loss to SMU sent Miami down to 18th in the polls.

Miami went onto win their last four games, and took the 10th seed in the College Football Playoffs. This was their first College Football Playoff appearance. They started the playoffs with a 10-3 victory against Texas A&M on the road at Kyle Field, with freshman stud wide receiver Malachi Toney scoring a touchdown, then sealed by a Bryce Fitzgerald interception with A&M deep in Miami territory. Miami moved onto the Cotton Bowl where they faced off against the second seeded Ohio State Buckeyes. Miami took a 10 point victory. They then went to the 2026 Fiesta Bowl where they beat Ole Miss on a last second touchdown scramble from Carson Beck.

Miami made their first national title game since 2002, playing in the 2026 National Championship game against the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers. Miami had a chance to score the go ahead touchdown with less than a minute left; however, an interception ended Miami’s season.

Conference affiliations

Independent (1927–1928)

Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1929–1941)

Independent (1942–1990)

Big East Conference (1991–2003)

Atlantic Coast Conference (2004–present)

Championships

National championships

Miami has been selected a winner of a national championship nine times from NCAA-designated major selectors, for which the school officially claims five of them. Miami has won five national championships (1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, and 2001), which saw them finish number one in the final AP Poll each time.

Claimed national championship

Conference championships

Miami has won nine conference championships, six outright and three shared.

† Co-champions

Division championships

Miami has one division championship in the ACC Coastal Division.

Bowl games

Miami has played in 46 bowl games with a record of 21 wins and 24 losses in these 46 bowl games. Miami's most common bowl destination has been the Orange Bowl, where they have appeared nine times, compiling a 6–3 overall Orange Bowl record. Miami's most common opponent in bowl play has been Nebraska. The schools have met six times in bowl play with the Hurricanes winning four times and losing twice against the Cornhuskers.

Recent bowl games

† CFP/New Year's Six game

Head coaches

Current coaching staff

Rivalries

Florida

Miami's rivalry with Florida dates back to 1938, making it the oldest rivalry among Florida's "Big Three": the University of Miami, the University of Florida, and Florida State. The Hurricanes defeated the Gators, 19–7, in the first meeting between the geographic rivals. The Seminole War Canoe was carved in 1955 out of a cypress struck by lightning and was given to the winner of the annual football game. The canoe is meant to symbolize the fighting spirit of the Seminole people that is often on display during games between the Hurricanes and Gators. The canoe is now on permanent display at the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame on the Coral Gables campus.

Miami holds the edge in the all-time series with a 29–26 record against Florida. The two schools met every year from 1944 until 1987, but have not played regularly since then. Florida canceled the annual series after the 1987 season, when the requirement of the Southeastern Conference for member schools to play eight conference games induced the University of Florida to fill out the non-conference portion of its schedule with teams that do not require a home-and-home arrangement, except for Florida State.

From 1986 to 2003, Miami won all six of the games between the schools, including victories in the 2001 Sugar Bowl and the 2004 Peach Bowl. Florida snapped its 23-year drought against Miami with a 26–3 win over the Hurricanes in 2008. In 2019, the series resumed with Florida winning 24–20 in the Camping World Kickoff in Orlando, Florida.

They most recently met on September 20th, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami's home stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Miami delivered a convincing 26–7 victory over the Gators.

Florida State

Miami's traditional rivals are Florida State and Florida. Since 2002, the Florida Cup has been awarded to the team that finishes with the best head-to-head record in years when Miami and Florida face each other. To date, six Florida Cups have been awarded with Miami winning the first three.

Miami's rivalry with Florida State dates to 1951 when the Hurricanes defeated the Seminoles 35–13 in their inaugural meeting. The schools have played every year since 1966, with Miami holding the all-time advantage, 33–30. Upon the conclusion of their 2003 regular-season schedules, the teams represented their respective conferences in the 2004 FedEx Orange Bowl (Miami being the champions of the Big East, and Florida State being the champions of the ACC). Miami won the bowl game 16–14; it was the only time the schools have met in post-season football play. The 63 meetings between the teams of FSU and Miami eclipsed the rivalry between the Hurricanes and the Gators (from the University of Florida) following their 2010 game; the series of games between the University of Miami and Florida is Miami's second-longest at 55 games.

During the 1980s and 1990s, the series emerged as one of the premier rivalries in college football. Between 1983 and 2002, the Hurricanes and Seminoles combined to win 7 national championships and play in 14 bowl games with a national championship at stake. The 1988 game starred 57 future NFL pros on the combined rosters. Since 2004, the year Miami left the Big East Conference to join the expanded 12-member Atlantic Coast Conference, the universities have been conference foes, though they are placed in separate divisions within the conference. This alignment creates the potential for the two teams to meet for a second time in the ACC Championship Game, should each win their respective divisions in any particular season. Such a rematch has yet to happen after 14 years of ACC Championship Games, as of 2018.

The series has consistently drawn very high television ratings with the 2006 Miami–Florida State game being the most-watched college football game—regular-season or postseason—in ESPN history, and the 2009 and 1994 meetings being the second- and fifth-most watched regular season games, respectively.

The Miami Hurricanes lead the all-time series 35–32 as of 2022. The most recent meeting was in 2022 on November 5, when the Seminoles won 45–3 in Miami, this is the largest margin of victory in the opposing team's stadium in the series history. Their next scheduled game is November 11, 2023.

Louisville

The football rivalry between Louisville and Miami dates back to 1933 and has been played 17 times. The series became a conference rivalry when Louisville joined the ACC in 2014. The programs are connected by head coach Howard Schnellenberger, who resuscitated both schools' football programs and led both teams to great successes when they were struggling and facing financial issues. A trophy was introduced to the rivalry in 2023 honoring Howard Schnellenberger, a bronzed pair of boots worn by Schnellenberger awarded to the winner of the game. The Hurricanes lead the all-time series 12–5–1.

Nebraska

The series with Nebraska is tied at 6–6 as of 2018.

Notre Dame

The Hurricanes and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish first met during the 1955 college football season. They met three times during the 1960s (1960, 1965 and 1967) and proceeded to play each other annually from 1971 to 1990 (except in 1986). Notre Dame consistently dominated the series in the 1970s. However, in the 1980s Miami began to dominate and the rivalry intensified significantly. Both teams were national contenders in the latter part of the decade, and both teams cost each other at least one national championship. Hostilities were further fueled when the Hurricanes routed the Fighting Irish in the 1985 season finale 58–7, with Miami widely accused of running up the score in the second half. The rivalry gained national attention again and both teams played their most famous games from 1988 to 1990. The game known as Catholics vs. Convicts was won by the Fighting Irish 31–30. In 1989, Miami ended Notre Dame's record 23-game winning streak with a 27–10 victory. The rivalry ended after the Fighting Irish dashed #2 Miami's hopes for a repeat national championship with a 29–20 victory at Notre Dame.

The two teams are scheduled meet in the following scheduled dates in the 2026, 2028, 2031, 2032, 2034, and 2037 seasons.

Virginia Tech

The Hurricanes and Hokies first met on November 13, 1953, in Miami. The two teams have played annually since 1992, and the rivalry developed when the Hokies became a member of the Big East Conference for football in 1991. When the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) expanded in 2004, both Miami and Virginia Tech became members of the ACC. Both teams continued to compete annually as part of the ACC's Coastal Division. After the removal of divisions in the ACC, and a year break from the matchup in 2023, Miami and Virginia Tech have been scheduled as annual opponents through the year 2029. Miami and Virginia Tech have twice met in bowl games, the 1966 Liberty Bowl and 1981 Peach Bowl. As of 2024, Miami leads the series 25–15. The last game between the two teams was September 28, 2024 in Miami, and Miami won 38–34 after a controversial decision by the referees following the final play.

The two teams will next play during a yet to specified date in the 2025 season at Lane Stadium.

Facilities

Hard Rock Stadium is the home field of the Hurricanes football team during their regular season. The stadium is located in Miami Gardens, Florida, located approximately 22 mi (35 km) north of the University of Miami's main Coral Gables campus. Hard Rock Stadium is also the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.

At its inception, the Miami Hurricanes played at Tamiami Park and, later, at Moore Park. In 1937, they moved to the Miami Orange Bowl and played at the Miami Orange Bowl for seventy consecutive years, until 2007 when the stadium was designated for demolition. The University of Miami then signed a 25-year contract for the team to play at Hard Rock Stadium through 2033.

The Miami Hurricanes practice facilities are located on the University of Miami campus at Greentree Practice Fields, which was named the College Football Field of the Year by the SportsTurf Managers Association in 2007. The Hecht Athletic Center, also located on-campus, serves as the program's training facility and is home to the football offices. In November 2010, the university announced a gift of $5 million from the Ted and Todd Schwartz Family Foundation that was used to build the Schwartz Center for Athletic Excellence, which caters to over 400 student athletes and includes a sports medicine facility, training room, and academic center. The facility also has features specifically designed for the football team:

The Paul J. DiMare Gallery of Champions, which showcases individual and team titles, such as the University of Miami's five national championships in football, as well as awards like the Heisman Trophies won by former Hurricanes Gino Torretta and Vinny Testaverde.

A football locker room built following a gift from Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who played with the Miami Hurricanes prior to his WWE and acting careers.

An academic center with new computers, study rooms, and the 140-seat Robert & Lauren Mann Auditorium.

An expansion of the existing Isadore Hecht Athletic Center to include a state-of-the-art sports medicine and training area.

Records

Winning streaks

Miami has two of the longest winning streaks in NCAA Division I history. From 2000 to 2003, Miami won 34 consecutive games, tying for sixth all-time, although it is the longest since 1957. The streak started on September 23, 2000, with a 47–10 victory at West Virginia and ended on January 3, 2003, with a 31–24 double overtime loss to Ohio State in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. Miami also won 29 straight games from October 27, 1990, to January 1, 1993, good for 13th on the all-time list. That streak was snapped when the top-ranked Hurricanes were upset by second-ranked Alabama, 34–13 in the 1993 Sugar Bowl.

Miami owns the record for the longest home winning streak in NCAA history, winning 58 straight games at the Orange Bowl. The record streak began with a 38–0 shutout victory over Cincinnati on October 12, 1985, and ended with a 38–20 loss to Washington on September 24, 1994. The 58 game streak includes three Orange Bowl victories where Miami was the away team because of the Orange Bowl's tie to the Big Eight Conference.

In addition to its own lengthy winning streaks, Miami has snapped four streaks of 20 games or more in its history. The only other school to snap four winning streaks of 20 or more games is Princeton. In the 1984 Orange Bowl, Miami ended top-ranked Nebraska's 22-game winning streak and won its first national championship with a 31–30 victory. The Hurricanes halted top-ranked Oklahoma's 20-game streak and won their second national championship when they defeated the Sooners, 20–14, in the 1988 Orange Bowl. The Hurricanes ended top-ranked Notre Dame's 23-game winning streak with a 27–10 win on November 25, 1989. Miami also ended the 20-game winning streak of UCLA when Miami defeated the third-ranked Bruins 49–45 on December 5, 1998.

Wins versus AP Number 1

Miami has nine wins against AP Number 1 ranked teams, which is second to Alabama for the most all-time in college football. Overall, Miami is 9–10 against AP Number 1 teams, with the most recent win against Florida State in 2000. Rankings below are all from the Associated Press (AP), and games listed are when Miami's opponent was the Number 1 team.

NFL draft records

Most first round selections (single draft): 6, 2004

Most consecutive years having the most first round selections: 4, 2001–2004

Most defensive linemen (49) to go on to play in the NFL.

Most (tied with USC) wide receivers (40) to go on to play in the NFL.

Notable players and coaches

Individual award winners

Heisman Trophy

Vinny Testaverde – 1986

Gino Torretta – 1992

Maxwell Award

Vinny Testaverde – 1986

Gino Torretta – 1992

Ken Dorsey – 2001

Walter Camp Award

Vinny Testaverde – 1986

Gino Torretta – 1992

Archie Griffin Award

Ken Dorsey – 2001, 2002

Chic Harley Award

Gino Torretta – 1992

Ken Dorsey – 2001, 2002

Bednarik Award

Dan Morgan – 2000

Bronko Nagurski Trophy

Warren Sapp – 1994

Dan Morgan – 2000

Davey O'Brien Award

Vinny Testaverde – 1986

Gino Torretta – 1992

Cam Ward – 2024

Sammy Baugh Trophy

Vinny Testaverde – 1986

Steve Walsh – 1988

Retired numbers

As of 2024, the Hurricanes have retired the jersey numbers of four former players:

College Football Hall of Fame inductees

As of 2026, fourteen players and coaches with the Miami Hurricanes have been inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame:

Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees

As of 2025, eleven former players have been inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame:

Canes in the NFL

Miami holds a number of NFL draft records, including most first-round selections in a single draft and most consecutive drafts with at least one first-round selection. As of 2024, at least one University of Miami player has been selected in (49) consecutive NFL drafts, dating back to 1975, and (67) first-round picks the 5th most in college football. Miami has had (369) players drafted, ranking 13th among all college football programs for the number of draft picks.

Among all college football programs, the University of Miami holds the all-time record for the most defensive linemen (49) and is tied with USC for the most wide receivers (40) to go on to play in the NFL.

Active NFL

As of September 2025, 42 former Miami players are on an NFL roster.

Elijah Arroyo, Seattle Seahawks

Michael Badgley, Indianapolis Colts

Tyler Baron, New York Jets

Simeon Barrow, Cleveland Browns

Braxton Berrios, Houston Texans

Andrés Borregales, New England Patriots

Artie Burns, Miami Dolphins

Deon Bush, Kansas City Chiefs

Lawrence Cager, Washington Commanders

Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals

DeeJay Dallas, Carolina Panthers

Jaden Davis, Arizona Cardinals

Phillip Dorsett, Las Vegas Raiders

Jonathan Ford, Chicago Bears

Jared Harrison-Hunte, Carolina Panthers

Travis Homer, Chicago Bears

D. J. Ivey, Cincinnati Bengals

Mike Jackson, Carolina Panthers

Rayshawn Jenkins, Cleveland Browns

Brevin Jordan, Houston Texans

D. J. Johnson, Washington Commanders

Traditions

Touchdown Tommy

Touchdown Tommy is the cannon that is fired off when the team runs out of the tunnel, after every point that the Hurricanes score, and at the conclusion of all team wins. The cannon is kept by the University of Miami's Sigma Chi fraternity's Cannon Master and fired off during the games by senior brothers of Sigma Chi. Touchdown Tommy is the third-oldest tradition at the University of Miami after the Iron Arrow Honor Society, the highest honor awarded by the university founded in 1926, and Sebastian the Ibis, the mascot of the Miami Hurricanes since 1957.

Smoke

One of the Hurricanes best-known traditions is the team's entrance scene. The team enters the field through a large cloud of white smoke billowing from its entrance tunnel, amid a tape of a hurricane blasting over the sound system. The smoke comes from fire extinguisher exhaust that billows from a series of pipes welded together by school transportation director Bob Nalette in the 1950s. In 2008, the pipes were moved from the Miami Orange Bowl, the former home field for the Hurricanes, to Hard Rock Stadium, where the team has played since 2008.

Following the University Miami football program's rise to national prominence in the 1980s, many high school, college and NFL teams over the last 25 years have copied this practice, and in 2001 ABC made a parody of it for a Saturday college football commercial.

Ring of Honor

In 1997, the university established the 'Ring of Honor' as a way to honor outstanding players who have passed through the Hurricane football program. Members are selected by an anonymous advisory committee, the director of athletics and the head football coach. The names and jersey numbers of the inductees were displayed on the upper deck of the Orange Bowl. The inaugural class of included Jim Dooley, Ted Hendricks, George Mira, and Vinny Testaverde. These four players are the only ones in the history of the program to have their numbers retired by the university as well. In the 2015–16 season, Vinny Testaverde's retired number was unretired at his own request, allowing his son, Vincent Testaverde Jr., to wear No. 14 for the first time since its number retirement.

A second group of players consisting of Ottis Anderson, Don Bosseler, Bernie Kosar, and Burgess Owens was inducted in 1999. After a nine-year hiatus, five new players were added in 2008: Pro Football Hall of Famers Jim Kelly and Jim Otto, former Heisman Trophy-winner Gino Torretta, running back Edgerrin James, and defensive lineman Cortez Kennedy.

In 2009, College Football Hall of Fame defensive back Bennie Blades, running back and former Miami head coach Eddie Dunn, and quarterback Steve Walsh were inducted.

Turnover Chain

In 2017, the Miami Hurricanes began to award its "Turnover Chain", an honor that contains a 36-inch, 2.5-kilogram, 10-karat gold chain, with 900 orange and green sapphire stones arranged in a "U" that is 6.5 inches wide. It is presented during a game to any defensive player who forces a turnover.

Through the 11 regular-season games Miami played in 2017, the Hurricanes' defense created 29 turnovers (17 passes intercepted, 12 fumbles recovered), the third most in FBS football. During the same period, Miami gave up 12 turnovers (throwing 9 interceptions, and losing 3 fumbles); the net gain of 17 turnovers resulted in a margin of +1.55 per game. That figure represents the greatest margin in the nation this year, an achievement shared with Central Florida.

In 2022, the Miami Hurricanes retired the chain.

Controversies and scandals

The University of Miami football program has been at the center of several controversies, scandals and incidents, some of which have led to NCAA sanctions, suspensions, and negative publicity. In 1978, three University of Miami players threw a man into a lake, leading to the resignation of coach Lou Saban. In the 1991 Cotton Bowl Classic, the team's unsportsmanlike conduct during the game gave rise to the so-called "Miami Rule". In 1995, the program was involved in a Pell Grant scandal.

Other controversies and scandals involving the Miami Hurricanes football program include:

1980s: Luther Campbell's "pay for play"

In the 1980s, 2 Live Crew member Luther Campbell was alleged to have been behind a "pay-for-play" system, which involved cash rewards to University of Miami players for scoring touchdowns, big hits, and other game accomplishments, though Campbell has never donated directly to the University of Miami or its athletic department.

1989: University of Miami mascot detained by police

On October 28, 1989, University of Miami mascot Sebastian the Ibis was tackled by a group of police officers for attempting to put out Chief Osceola's flaming spear prior to Miami's game against long-standing rival Florida State at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee. Sebastian was wearing a fireman's helmet and yellow raincoat and holding a fire extinguisher. When a police officer attempted to grab the fire extinguisher, the officer was sprayed in the chest. Sebastian was handcuffed by four officers but ultimately released. Miami quarterback Gino Torretta, who started the game in place of injured Craig Erickson, told ESPN, "Even if we weren't bad boys, it added to the mystique that, 'Man, look, even their mascot's getting arrested.'"

2004-05: 7th Floor Crew

In 2004, several Miami players recorded a 9-minute long rap song under the informal group name "7th Floor Crew". The song contained numerous lewd and obscene sexual references. It was later leaked to the public in 2005. The song was set to the beat of Aaliyah's "If Your Girl Only Knew". Bomani Jones wrote about the incident after the recording was leaked.

2006: FIU brawl

On October 14, 2006, in the first meeting of cross-town programs, Miami and the Florida International Golden Panthers brawled after a PAT.

FIU cornerback Chris Smith wrestled Miami holder Matt Perelli to the ground after the kick and appeared to punch him in the chin. Another FIU cornerback, Marshall McDuffie Jr., kicked Perelli in the head. Miami's Anthony Reddick swung his helmet at FIU players and Miami's Brandon Meriweather kicked an FIU player. FIU's A'Mod Ned, who was injured, came onto the field and swung at Miami players with his crutches. The fight lasted just over one minute before the coaches of both teams were able to separate the players. Florida Highway Patrol state troopers and City of Miami police arrived on the field as the fight was going on and remained a visual presence on the sidelines and in the stands to prevent further fighting. The game was delayed approximately 15 to 20 minutes as the officials attempted to sort out which players were ejected and what, if any, penalty yards needed to be enforced.

The next day, 31 players from both schools were punished, including 18 from FIU and 13 from Miami. The Miami players were handed one-game suspensions while the FIU players were suspended for the remainder of the season. Three Miami players were suspended indefinitely and the rest were also assigned community service work.

2002–2010: Shapiro scandal

A Ponzi schemer, convicted felon and former Miami booster, Nevin Shapiro, claimed he used investor funds to finance donations to the University of Miami's athletic program and gave an estimated $2 million in illegal benefits to at least 72 current or former football and basketball players and coaches from 2002 to 2010. A Yahoo! Sports report alleged that Shapiro, through his donations, violated at least four major NCAA bylaws.

During the investigation of the allegations, the university self-imposed a ban on bowl participation. In October 2013, the NCAA announced that the university would lose three football scholarships in each of the next three seasons, but there would be no further bowl ban. The university became eligible again for bowl participation as of the 2013–14 season.

Documentaries

The U

The Miami Hurricanes football program has been the subject of two widely viewed documentaries. In 2009, The U, developed by Miami-based studio Rakontur was released and aired as part of ESPN's 30 for 30 film series.

According to the filmmaker, the University of Miami chose not to be involved in the project, and denied the film crew access to former coach Randy Shannon, former athletic director Paul Dee, or former university president Tad Foote.

The film features the rise of the University of Miami football program beginning in the 1980s and through the early 1990s during which the University of Miami won three national championships (1983, 1987, and 1991) followed by the program's subsequent fall from various national scandals related to the program and team, including player crimes and drug usage and privileges provided players through Luther Campbell's alleged "pay for play" scheme in which the rap star reportedly paid University of Miami players for major hits and plays. The film addresses the controversial and pioneering nature of the University of Miami football program rise and fall during this era.

The film was pre-screened on the University of Miami campus on December 10, 2009, with only two student athletes attending. Two days later, however, it aired globally on ESPN following the Heisman Trophy award ceremony, drawing 2.3 million viewers and setting a record for the largest audience ever for an ESPN 30 to 30 episode.

The U Part 2

Following on the success of The U, The U Part 2 was developed and released, depicting a similar rise and fall of the University of Miami football program, this time from its 2002 national championship team, which is widely considered to be one of the best college football teams in the history of the sport, to yet another downfall featuring national scandals that cost the University of Miami football program scholarships and damaged its competitiveness for much of the early 2000s.

Future non-conference opponents

Announced opponents as of October 6, 2025.