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

18/#18 Miami (6-2, 2-2 ACC) vs. Syracuse (3-6, 1-5 ACC)

Date: Saturday, November 8, 2025
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Location: Miami Gardens, Fla.
Stadium: Hard Rock Stadium (65,326)
Series History: Miami leads, 16-8
Miami / Miami Gardens: Miami leads, 9-3
Syracuse: Miami leads, 7-4
Neutral Site: Syracuse leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: Syracuse won, 41-38 (Nov. 30, 2024)
Television: ESPN
Talent: Bob Wischusen (play by play), Louis Riddick
(color), Kris Budden (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 with a Homecoming matchup against Syracuse on Sat., Nov. 8. Kickoff is set for 3:30 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 looking to rebound following an 26-20 loss on the road to SMU in overtime last time out on Nov. 1.

• 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 visit to Hard Rock Stadium to play Miami is the first by the Orange since 2017 – a 27-19 Miami victory. UM lost last year’s matchup, 41-38, at Syracuse.

NOTABLE

• #18/#18 Miami continues its fourth season under head coach Mario Cristobal with a Homecoming matchup against Syracuse at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 8. Kickoff is set for 3:30 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 its loss to SMU, the Hurricanes moved to No. 18/18 in the polls – Miami has been in the top 25 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 30-5 (.857) record as a starting FBS quarterback, the best of any active player (minimum five games).

THE MATCHUP

• #18/#18 Miami continues the 2025 football season with a Homecoming matchup against Syracuse at Hard Rock Stadium on Nov. 8. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m., with the game set for an ESPN broadcast.

• The Hurricanes carry a 16-8 all-time series lead over Syracuse into Saturday’s matchup, which marks the Orange’s first trip to Hard Rock Stadium to play Miami since a 2017 visit, which resulted in a 27-19 Miami win.

• Syracuse won last year’s head-to-head matchup on the final day of the regular season, 41-38, at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y. It was Miami’s first trip to play the Orange on their campus since 2002.

• UM has a 9-3 series lead in games in Miami, but have only played Syracuse one time at Hard Rock Stadium.

A LOOK BACK: MIAMI FALLS TO SMU IN OVERTIME

• The Hurricanes dropped their second game of the season last time out at SMU, falling to the host Mustangs, 26- 20, in overtime at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. A late SMU field goal tied the game and an OT touchdown run won it.

• WR Malachi Toney had nine catches for 70 yards, while WR JoJo Trader had five catches, 81 yards and a touchdown. QB Carson Beck threw for 274 yards on 26-of-38 passing with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

• One of UM’s most impressive performances came from DB Keionte Scott, who had eight tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and one fumble recovery. Scott was named a Thorpe Award semifinalist earlier in the week.

• The Hurricanes totaled six tackles for loss and two sacks against the Mustangs. DL Rueben Bain, Jr., had 1.5 tackles for loss. Miami’s defense held a potent SMU offense to just 23 yards rushing on 25 carries.

MIAMI HAS POSTED THREE AP T-25 WINS SO FAR

• 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. 18 in both the coaches poll and in the AP rankings, UM has been included in the top 25 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 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. 12 in total defense, allowing just 285.1 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 43 “big plays” this season (14 runs of 12-or-more yards, 29 passes of 15-or-more), good for the 10th-best “big play” defensive percentage in all of FBS (8.55%). Miami’s “big play” pass percentage of 10.94% is seventh-best in FBS. UM is one of 12 teams entering Week 11 to allow 10-or-fewer plays of 30-plus yards.

• 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. 29 in FBS, posting a percentage of 12.13%. UM’s 1.3 points-per-drive average is No. 13 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 (94.1), while Mesidor ranks eighth (88.9).

• In PFF’s “run defense” grades among Power-4 players, Bain is second (90.8) while Mesidor is fifth (86.7). Bain is third by PFF in Power-4 “pass rush” (92.2) while Mesidor is 15th (84.7). Bain is fourth in FBS in pressures (44).

FLETCHER IN GOOD COMPANY WITH B2B 9-TD YRS

• 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.

• In his last home game vs. Stanford on Oct. 25, Fletcher had the first three-touchdown game of his career in a win over the Cardinal to go along with the fifth 100-yard game of his career (and third this season). Fletcher has rushed for nine touchdowns this season, matching his amount in 2024. He’s the second UM player this century to have at least nine rushing scores in consecutive seasons, joining Mark Walton (2015-2016).

• 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 HAS RARE ACC STREAK OVER LAST 30 YRS

• 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 52 catches – 20 more than the next highest true freshman (Vernell Brown III, Florida) – and is also 150- plus yards ahead of Brown (632 to 463) for the most receiving yards of any true freshman in FBS.

• Toney has recorded at least 40 receiving yards and four receptions in all eight of his career games. That is the second longest streak by any ACC player in the last 30 years to begin his FBS career, behind Wake Forest’s Greg Dortch in 2017-18 (13 straight). The school record for receiving yards is held by Ahmmon Richards (934 in 2016).

• 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.

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.

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.

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 three 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.

SCOTT NAMED A THORPE AWARD SEMIFINALIST

• DB Keionte Scott has been among Miami’s most dynamic playmakers on defense this season. Scott, who has started all eight games at nickel, was named to the watch list for the Thorpe Award honoring the nation’s top DB.

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 87.4 percent of its field goal attempts since 2020 (104/119), including a 9-for-10 start to 2025.

MESIDOR 2ND IN FBS SACKS, RETURNED VS. SMU

• 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 Footbal (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.

DANIELS MISSED SMU, AMONG TOP WR TARGETS

• 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 (3,622, 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 (3,135). Including Daniels, there are only six players in FBS who have 2,500-or-more receiving yards.