The No. 7 Miami Hurricanes return home Thursday night looking to keep their dominant start to the 2026 season going when they host Florida A&M at Hard Rock Stadium.
Miami enters the matchup 1-0 after an impressive 45-6 road victory over Stanford in Week 1. Florida A&M, meanwhile, is 1-1 after opening the season with a win over Albany State before falling 31-13 to South Carolina State in the Orange Blossom Classic. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on the ACC Network.
Darian Mensah Looks To Build On Huge Debut
All eyes will once again be on Miami quarterback Darian Mensah.
The transfer quarterback couldn’t have asked for a better Hurricanes debut against Stanford. Mensah completed 27 of 30 passes for 401 yards and five touchdowns, immediately establishing himself as one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the country.
Now, he gets another opportunity to build chemistry with an explosive Miami offense.
Wide receiver Malachi Toney will also be a major player to watch. Toney set a Miami single-game record with 234 receiving yards and three touchdowns against Stanford, giving opposing defenses plenty to worry about.
Florida A&M Faces A Massive Challenge
The Rattlers enter the game facing a difficult task.
Starting quarterback Isaiah Knowles is expected to miss the remainder of the season because of an injury, leaving Dustin Fletcher in line for an expanded role. Fletcher completed 6 of 10 passes for 68 yards in his season debut against South Carolina State.
Florida A&M will need a much stronger offensive performance to keep pace with Miami.
The Rattlers were held to just 161 total yards against South Carolina State, while Miami’s offense showed it can score quickly and consistently.
Miami Looking To Avoid A Slowdown
While Miami is heavily favored, this game still gives the Hurricanes an opportunity to improve in areas that weren’t perfect against Stanford.
Miami rushed for 121 yards in the opener, with Mark Fletcher Jr. accounting for 40 yards. The Hurricanes will likely look to establish more consistency on the ground while continuing to develop their young players.
Miami has also won 11 straight meetings with Florida A&M and leads the all-time series 11-1. The most recent meeting ended in a 56-9 Miami victory in 2024.
Can Miami Keep The Momentum Going?
This matchup gives Miami another chance to show why it entered the season with College Football Playoff aspirations.
Mensah and Toney already look like one of the most dangerous quarterback-receiver combinations in the country, and Miami’s defense will look to build on holding Stanford without a touchdown.
If Miami plays anywhere close to the level it showed in Week 1, the Hurricanes could be in for another dominant night in South Florida.
