Miami FL vs Stanford
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The gist
No. 7 Miami faces Stanford in its season opener Friday 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. The game marks Miami's post-Carson Beck era with new QB Darian Mensah.
Background
Miami enters the 2026 season as the No. 7 team and ACC favorite after reaching the national championship game last year, where they lost to Indiana. Stanford, picked to finish last in the ACC, already has a win this season, beating Hawaii 37-27. Miami is starting a new era with quarterback Darian Mensah, who transferred in after a strong season, and has only eight returning starters.
How it unfolded
- Aug 29, 2026Stanford beat Hawaii 37-27 in its season opener, with a late scoop-and-score for a comeback win.
- Sep 1, 2026Miami flew out two days early for the cross-country trip to California.
- Sep 4, 2026Miami distributed a blank depth chart before the game, keeping the offensive line lineup a mystery.
- Sep 5, 2026Miami and Stanford are set to play at Stanford Stadium at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Who’s saying what
- Analysts
- Miami is the overwhelming favorite to win the ACC and expected to be one of the top teams, while Stanford is predicted to finish last in the conference.
- Caution
- Stanford already has a game under its belt and is used to game speed, giving it a slight advantage over Miami in the opener.
Still unverified
The blank depth chart could be a ploy to keep the opponent guessing, but it is unconfirmed whether Miami will release a real depth chart before kickoff.