Game Day Notes: Miami Hurricanes at SMU ... how to watch, start time, game notes & more

9/#10 Miami (6-1, 2-1 ACC) AT SMU (5-3, 2-1 ACC)

Date: Saturday, November 1, 2025
Time: 12 p.m.
Location: Dallas, Texas
Stadium: Gerald J. Ford Stadium (32,000)
Series History: SMU leads, 1-0
Miami / Miami Gardens: SMU leads, 1-0
Dallas: N/A
Neutral Site: N/A
Last Meeting: SMU won, 7-3 (Sept. 18, 1965)
Television: ESPN
Talent: Mark Jones (play by play), Roddy Jones (color),
Quint Kessenich (sideline)
Radio: 104.3 WQAM
Talent: Joe Zagacki, Don Bailey, Jr., Josh Darrow
Spanish Radio: Radio Libre 790 AM
Talent: Alfredo Alvarez, Joe Martinez

MIAMI GAME NOTES

QUICK HITS

• The Miami Hurricanes continue their fourth season under the direction of head coach Mario Cristobal on Sat., Nov. 1 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium against SMU. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. on ESPN.

• Miami posted its first 10-win season since 2017 and only its second 10-win season in the last 20 years in 2024. The Hurricanes also finished the season undefeated at home for the first time since 2002 (6-0).

• The Hurricanes are coming off a dominant 42-7 victory over Stanford last time out on Oct. 25; Miami outgained the Cardinal, 404-144, in the victory.

• The Hurricanes opened 2025 with a thrilling 27-24 win over #6/#6 Notre Dame in their season opener on Aug. 31. Miami has three ranked wins so far this season in games vs. Notre Dame, USF and FSU.

• The meeting between the Hurricanes and the Mustangs is the first-ever clash in Dallas and the first matchup since 1965 – a 7-3 SMU win in Miami.

NOTABLE

• #9/#9 Miami continues its fourth season under head coach Mario Cristobal with a matchup against SMU at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, Nov. 1. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. on ESPN, 104.3 WQAM, Radio Libre 790 AM and WVUM 90.5 FM.

• The Hurricanes entered the season ranked in the top 10 of both the Associated Press and Coaches Polls, checking in at No. 10 in both rankings, and rose to as high as No. 2 in both polls entering Week 8. Following a win over Stanford, the Hurricanes remained at No. 9/9 in the polls – Miami has been in the top 10 for the entirety of the season.

• Among UM’s top newcomers is QB Carson Beck, who arrived from Georgia via transfer portal. Beck, who missed spring practices while recovering from UCL surgery, has a 30-4 (.882) record as a starting FBS quarterback, the best of any active player (minimum five games).

THE MATCHUP

• #9/#10 Miami continues the 2025 football season with its first trip to play SMU in program history on Nov. 1. The Hurricanes and Mustangs square off at Gerald J. Ford Stadium at noon (11 a.m. CT) on ESPN.

• Saturday’s meeting between the two teams is the first in Dallas between the two programs; Miami hosted SMU in 1965 at the Orange Bowl, a 7-3 Mustangs win. SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee previously served as Miami’s offensive coordinator from 2020-21 before accepting his current position as head coach of the Mustangs.

A LOOK BACK: MIAMI THROTTLES STANFORD, 42-7

• The Hurricanes got back to their winning ways last time out at Hard Rock Stadium, topping Stanford, 42-7 in a dominant performance. Miami rebounded from a difficult loss by outgaining the Cardinal, 404-144, and outscoring the visitors 35-0 in the second half.

• WR Malachi Toney had an impressive day for the hosts, finishing with a team-high five catches and 138 all purpose yards. He had 73 yards on two punt returns and had a 13-yard rush to go along with 52 receiving yards.

• QB Carson Beck threw for 189 yards on 21-for-28 passing with one touchdown and no interceptions. It was Beck’s fifth game this season of at least 20 completions and a 70% completion percentage – tied for most in FBS. RB Mark Fletcher, Jr., had the first three-touchdown game of his career and finished with 106 yards on 23 carries.

• After allowing 74 yards on Stanford’s opening drive, UM buckled down and allowed 70 yards for the remainder of the game. The Hurricanes outgained the Cardinal, 404-144, and had 25 first downs compared to Stanford’s 8.

• Among Miami’s top performers on defense was DB Xavier Lucas, who had an interception, a sack and three total tackles, as well as LB Wesley Bissainthe, who had an interception and two tackles in the victory.

MIAMI RANKED #9/#10 WITH THREE AP T-25 WINS

• Following their 5-0 start to the season, the Hurricanes were ranked as high as No. 2 in the Associated Press top 25 released on Oct. 5. Now ranked No. 9 in the coaches poll and tied for No. 10 in the AP rankings, UM has been included in the top 10 of both polls for the entirety of the season.

• Miami’s No. 2 ranking in the Associated Press top 25 released on Oct. 12 was tied for the highest of any Mario Cristobal-coached team in his career (earlier this year, UM also ranked No. 2); Cristobal’s previous high was No. 3 at Oregon, obtained during Week 4 of the 2021 season (#3/#3).

• With a No. 5 ranking in the Associated Press poll attained on Sept. 2, the Hurricanes made it back-to-back years to crack the top five of the AP for the first time since a six-season run from 2000-05. Miami was ranked No. 10 in both preseason polls.

• Miami’s resume is as impressive as any team’s in the country through the first seven weeks of the season. The Hurricanes have three AP ranked wins this year, having topped Notre Dame, USF and Florida State through in the first half of the season, all of whom were ranked in the AP poll released on Oct. 5. Prior to 2025, Miami hadn’t had three wins over AP ranked teams in the same season since 2009.

• The Hurricanes opened the 2024 season at No. 19 in the poll and found their name in every top 25 ranking of the season. The Hurricanes reached as high as No. 4 (after improving to 9-0 to start the year) and ended No. 18 in the final poll, its highest final ranking since being ranked No. 13 to end 2017.

• Cristobal’s highest-ranked finish as a head coach came in the final 2019 polls, when Oregon was No. 5/5.

HETHERMAN’S “E.S.V” DEFENSE WREAKING HAVOC

• Mario Cristobal announced the hiring of Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman to the same post in January 2025. Hetherman arrived in Coral Gables after a dominant lone season at Minnesota.

• Hetherman has made a flawless transition through the Hurricanes’ strong start. UM ranks No. 11 in total defense, allowing just 270.4 yards per game so far against an impressive first-half schedule of opponents. Hetherman’s signature acronym, “E.S.V.” – has been on display. The acronym stands for Excitement, Swarm, Violence.

• Miami has allowed 34 “big plays” this season (14 runs of 12-or-more yards, 19 passes of 20-or-more), good for the fifth-best “big play” defensive percentage in all of FBS (7.85%). Miami’s “big play” pass percentage of 9.09% is third-best in FBS. UM is one of 15 teams entering Week 10 to allow 20-or-fewer plays of 20-or-more yards (20).

• In a measurement of “defensive mayhem” – which charts the percentage of plays where a defense forces the opposition into either a sack, tackle for loss, interception or a fumble that is recovered by the defense – the Hurricanes rank No. 25 in FBS, posting a percentage of 12.47%. UM’s 1.2 points-per-drive average is No. 12 in FBS.

BAIN, MESIDOR COULD BE FBS’ TOP EDGE TANDEM

• Miami’s defensive end tandem of Rueben Bain, Jr., and Akheem Mesidor have been the top defensive end tandem in the country through the first eight weeks of the college football season by most metrics.

• Among 250 defensive ends across Power-4, Bain is the No. 1 overall edge player by Pro Football Focus (94.6), while Mesidor ranks sixth (89.2).

• In PFF’s “run defense” grades among Power-4 players, Bain is second (90.7) while Mesidor is sixth (84.6). Bain is second by PFF in Power-4 “pass rush” (92.9) while Mesidor is 10th (87.1). Bain is tied for 4th in pressures (39).

O-LINE NAMED JOE MOORE HONOR ROLL…AGAIN

• For the third straight year, the Miami Hurricanes’ offensive line was selected to the midseason honor roll for the Joe Moore Award, which recognizing the top performing units in the nation. Miami was one of 24 selected.

FLETCHER SECOND IN TDs AT HARD ROCK WITH 16

• RB Mark Fletcher, Jr. has been a key member of UM’s offensive attack through its impressive start to the year. Fletcher posted back-to-back games of 100-yards-or more with at least one touchdown vs. USF and Florida. The last UM RB to have back-to-back such games vs. FBS foes was Cam’Ron Harris from September 10-19, 2020.

• Last time out, Fletcher had the first three-touchdown game of his career in a win over Stanford to go along with the fifth 100-yard game of his career (and third this season).

• Fletcher scored the 14th, 15th and 16th rushing touchdown of his career at Hard Rock Stadium vs. Stanford, moving him into sole possession of second-most touchdowns at the facility by a Hurricane. He trails only Duke Johnson, who had 17 career TDs at Hard Rock Stadium, where Miami moved prior to the 2008 season.

• He delivered a dominant outing for the Hurricanes in their 49-12 win over No. 18/23 USF on Sept. 13, posting 120 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. It was Fletcher’s second 100-yard, multi-touchdown game of his career against an AP ranked team – he also did it vs. Louisville in 2023. Since 2000, there have been only eight such performances by the Hurricanes – two from Fletcher, two from Tyrone Moss, two from Willis McGahee and one each from Clinton Portis and Frank Gore.

• Fletcher now has five career 100-yard games – his 100-yarder vs. USF was his first since 11/18/23 vs. Louisville.

TONEY PLAYING LIKE VETERAN, IS TOP FRESHMAN

• WR Malachi Toney has served as the top-performing freshman wide receiver in the country through the first seven games of his college career. Toney is Miami’s leader in all-purpose yards, catches and receiving yards.

• Toney has 43 catches – 11 more than the next highest true freshman (Vernell Brown III, Florida) – and is also nearly 100 yards ahead of Brown (562 to 463) for the most receiving yards of any true freshman in FBS.

• Along with Brown and Dakorien Moore of Oregon, Toney is one of only three true freshmen in the country to lead his team in receiving yards and receptions. Toney is a strong candidate for the Shaun Alexander Award as the nation’s top freshman in the country.

BECK TOPS 9,000-YARD MARK WITH ACCURACY

• QB Carson Beck surpassed 9,000 career passing yards in UM’s win at Florida State. Of the 114 quarterbacks to reach that mark this century for power conference teams, Beck’s completion percentage is among the best.

• Beck’s 68.7 completion percentage on the journey to 9,000 trails only four players from power conferences: Colt McCoy (70.3%), Graham Harrell (69.8%), Will Rogers (69.5%) and Brandon Weeden (69.5%) to place him fifth.

MIAMI NOW HAS THREE RANKED WINS THIS YEAR

• The Hurricanes recorded a third ranked win when they topped #18/#19 Florida State on October 4; the last time Miami featured three ranked wins came in 2009 against No. 18 FSU, No. 14 Georgia Tech and No. 8 Oklahoma

• Prior to this year, where Miami has knocked off #6/6 Notre Dame and #18/#23 USF in addition to FSU, the last time Miami started a year with a 3-0 mark with at least two ranked wins in those first three games was the 1993 season. UM opened the year with wins over then-No. 20 Boston College, Virginia Tech and then-No. 13 Colorado.

CANES ON STRONG RUN OF FOURTH DOWN PLAY

• The Hurricanes have converted at least one fourth down in each of their last five games dating back to a win over USF on Sept. 13. Miami’s last longer such streak was a seven-game run spanning across 2013 and 2014.

FOLLOW THE BLUEPRINT: CANES ARE ON THE RISE

• Miami reached a number of notable milestones in 2024, its third season under Mario Cristobal. The Hurricanes managed only the second 10-win season in the last 20 years at Miami (2017), finished undefeated at home for the first time since 2002 and ended the season inside the Associated Press Top 20 at No. 18 – only its second finish that high since 2005. UM went from five wins (2022, 5-7) to seven (2023, 7-6) to 10 (2024, 10-3) under Cristobal.

• The Hurricanes had 10 NFL Combine invites and its seven NFL Draft picks ranked sixth-most nationally. The Hurricanes had just one NFL Draft pick in the draft prior to Cristobal taking the helm, in 2022 – and it came in the seventh round (Jon Ford, Green Bay Packers).

• QB Cam Ward, the winner of the Davey O’Brien Award and Manning Award as the nation’s top quarterback, was selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the Tennessee Titans – it was the third No. 1 overall pick in program history.

BALLHAWK FITZGERALD LEADS FRESHMEN IN INTs

• DB Bryce Fitzgerald recorded an interception for the second straight game against USF on Sept.13, picking off Byrum Brown to end what was the nation’s longest passing streak without an interception (252 straight attempts).

• Fitzgerald is one of two true freshman in the country with three interceptions; he had his third pick at FSU

• Fitzgerald, one of Miami’s top performers as a true freshman, had the first interception of his career against Bethune- Cookman on Sept. 6. All three interceptions showcased his elite instincts, which have been praised by staff & teammates. A four-star safety out of Christopher Columbus High School, Fitzgerald debuted vs. Notre Dame.

TOP WR PAIRING MAKE A DYNAMIC MIAMI DUO

• WR CJ Daniels and WR Malachi Toney comprise one of only two duos in the country with at least four catches in six games this season; Florida Atlantic’s Easton Messer and Asaad Waseem have also managed the feat.

CANES LEAD THE NATION IN FG PCT. SINCE 2020

• The Hurricanes have been the most accurate field-goal kicking team in the country over the last six seasons. Miami has made 87.2 percent of its field goal attempts since 2020 (102/117), including a 7-for-8 start to 2025.

MESIDOR 2ND IN FBS SACKS, DNP VS. STANFORD

• A key member of Miami’s defensive line who has been stellar through the first half of the season, veteran edge rusher Akheem Mesidor is second in all of FBS with 26.5 sacks over the course of his career. Mesidor, who grew up in Ottawa, Canada, spent much of his high school career traveling to the U.S. for recruiting camps and clinics.

• Now in his sixth year, Mesidor spent the first two seasons of his career (2020-21) at West Virginia before transferring to Miami. He is one of just three players with 25-or-more career sacks at the FBS level, joining Trey Moore of Texas (29.5), David Bailey of Texas Tech (25.0) and Cashius Howell of Texas A&M (25.00).

MIAMI’S IMPRESSIVE HOME STREAK ENDS VS. UofL

• The Hurricanes had won 10 straight home games dating back to Sept. 7, 2024 – a stretch that encapsulated the entirety of 2024 and included Miami’s 5-0 start to 2025 – before falling, 24-21, to Louisville on Oct. 17.

• Miami’s 10-game home winning streak was tied for the fourth-longest active streak among FBS programs and was one of only six double-digit home winning streaks across the entirety of FBS entering Week 8.

• In the modern era of Miami Hurricanes Football (since 1979), Miami’s 10-game home winning streak was the third-longest, trailing only two streaks: a 58-game stretch at the Orange Bowl that began on Oct. 12, 1985 and ended on Sept. 24, 1994 – the longest home winning streak in college football history – as well as a stretch of 26 straight games at “The OB” from Oct. 30, 1999 – Oct. 18, 2003.

• With a win on Sept. 6, UM started the season 2-0 at home for the 13th time in the last 14 seasons (since 2012). The Hurricanes have not lost a home opener since 2006, when they fell to Florida State 13-10 at the Orange Bowl on Sept. 4, 2006. Miami has won 19 straight home openers since – each one since 2007.

• In the modern era of Miami Hurricanes football (since 1979), UM has opened the season at home 20 times and is now 18-2 in those games. The Hurricanes are 35-12 in regular season openers dating to 1979.

BECK RISES TO THE OCCASION AGAINST TOP FOES

• QB Carson Beck has 12 wins against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, double the next highest total (Noah Fifita, Arizona – 6). He is 12-3 against AP Top 25 teams (.800), including 3-0 at Miami (1.000).

DANIELS HEADLINES NEW-LOOK WIDEOUT CORPS

• The Hurricanes lost their top-six pass-catchers by receptions from a season ago, when the Hurricanes had the No. 1 offense in the country. Miami’s three starting wide receivers were all making their debuts on Aug. 31 vs. Notre Dame: transfers CJ Daniels (LSU) and Keelan Marion (BYU) as well as true freshman Malachi Toney.

• The trio combined for 14 catches totaling 157 yards and two touchdowns in Miami’s 27-24 win. Toney was targeted 10 times – more than any other player – while both he and Daniels had touchdown catches.

• Daniels is one of only two active FBS players with 2,500 receiving yards (2,785) and 25 touchdowns (27) over their careers at the FBS level. The other is Arkansas State’s Corey Rucker (3,558, 25). Daniels’ eye-popping onehanded score vs. ND was named the Crunch Time Play of the Week by the Football Writers Association (FWAA).

• Daniels ranks third among all FBS players with 2,790 career receiving yards, trailing Rucker and Caullin Lacy of Louisville (3,082). Including Daniels, there are only six players in FBS who have 2,500-or-more receiving yards.

“HURRICANE BAIN” IS POWER 4’S TOP-GRADED DL

• One of the top performers in the nation in his first two years at Miami was DL Rueben Bain, Jr., who enjoyed a dominant rookie campaign that resulted in ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2023. That year, the 6-foot-3, 275-pound defensive lineman tallied 44 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks over 13 games, earning Freshman All-American honors. He was also selected to the All-ACC Third Team.

• The standout junior has twice been named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week this year; Bain, mentioned by many analysts as a Heisman Trophy candidate, was recognized following standout performances against both Notre Dame (Aug. 31) and Florida (Sept. 20).

• Through nine weeks, Bain is graded as the No. 1 defensive edge by Pro Football Focus at the Power-4 level.

• Bain, who has 21.5 career TFLs, has been projected as a top-10 overall pick by multiple prognosticators in advance of the 2026 NFL Draft.