Miami set to host Florida A&M after dominant season opener
The No. 7 Hurricanes enter Thursday’s matchup 1–0 after defeating Stanford 45–6, while Florida A&M is 1–1.
No. 7 Miami will host Florida A&M at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Thursday night, with kick-off scheduled for 7.30 p.m. ET. The Hurricanes opened the 2026 season with a 45–6 win over Stanford, while Florida A&M beat Albany State 20–7 before losing 31–13 to South Carolina State.
Miami quarterback Darian Mensah threw five touchdown passes for 401 yards against Stanford, with receiver Malachi Toney recording 234 receiving yards. The Hurricanes reached last season’s College Football Playoff championship game before losing 27–21 to Indiana.
Florida A&M’s availability at quarterback is uncertain after Isaiah Knowles injured his throwing hand against South Carolina State. Dustin Fletcher replaced him in that game, but the report does not establish whether Knowles will play on Thursday.
Miami will also be without cornerback OJ Frederique for an expected significant period after he was injured in the season opener. The Hurricanes are continuing to replace defensive linemen Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor, who combined for 22 sacks in 2025 before moving to the NFL.
Miami has won the past 11 meetings between the teams. Florida A&M’s only victory in 12 encounters came in 1979, while Miami won the most recent listed meeting 56–9 in 2024 and defeated the Rattlers 70–3 in 2016.
CBS Sports reported that FanDuel Sportsbook listed Miami as a 55.5-point favourite, with the total set at 61.5 points. Those betting lines may change and do not establish the match’s result.
