Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Jaylin Noel (13) is held up by Miami Hurricanes defensive back Markeith Williams (15) in the third quarter during the Pop Tarts bowl at Camping World Stadium. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Miami Hurricanes Face Early Tests vs. Notre Dame, Florida in Pivotal 2025 Non-Conference Matchups

Originally posted on Miami Hurricanes on SI | Last updated Feb 17, 2025 3:27 PM ET

Two key non-conference games early in the season will loom large for the Miami Hurricanes football team in 2025. In what seems to be becoming a trend, they kick off the year with a huge non-conference matchup against Notre Dame on August 31. Notre Dame of course is fresh off a National Championship loss and will pose a massive test for the Canes when they come down to Hard Rock Stadium in the season opener.

These early season matchups can be tough to predict being that teams are not quite settled into what they will eventually become and have never played a real game together. It's why a lot of teams start their season off with a perceived layup so that they can get their feet wet while figuring out their identity against a team that doesn't pose a true threat to beat them. That won't be the case for Notre Dame or Miami in 2025. We will be getting a heavy-weight bout right out of the gates and it could be bad news for Notre Dame if they are looking to secure another playoff birth in 2025. They'll find out quickly what they're made of when they have to deal with that Miami heat in August.

The other game that needs to be circled is with inner-state rivals the Florida Gators. That game will take place on September 20 at Hard Rock Stadium. These two teams faced off in the 2024 opener and Miami beat the brakes off of the Gators in a convincing 41-17 win. That game was Cam Ward's coming out party and started an incredible run for Miami to start the season. However, after a miserable start to the season, the Gators then turned to freshman quarterback DJ Lagway and they looked much better once he got rolling. Make no mistake, this game will not be a calk walk like last year's game and Lagway will be a force to be reckoned with.

With both of these games being played in Miami, the Hurricanes should be able to lean on their home-field advantage. These are the kinds of games you have to win if you're going to be considered a championship contender. Both games should be viewed as opportunities and once they start winning games like these consistently, it will be their opponents who circle them on the calendar as a game they need to be worried about.