Miami · ACCMiami opens ACC play as USC tests Maiava again
The No. 7 Hurricanes visit 1-0 Stanford in a playoff-pressure opener while the No. 14 Trojans face Fresno State after Maiava’s three-touchdown debut.
SEP 4, 2026
The Pate State · Editorial IllustrationStanford's overall record last season
Maiava's completions against San José State
Maiava's total touchdowns in the opener
01 · The NewsMiami Opens ACC Play as USC Tests Maiava Again
No. 7 Miami begins its playoff case Friday, Sept. 4, with a road ACC game at 1-0 Stanford, while No. 14 USC gets a second look at quarterback Jayden Maiava against Fresno State in the first ranked-team games of Week 1.
Both games kick off at 9 p.m. ET. Stanford already has a 37-27 victory over Hawai'i on Aug. 29; Miami is playing its season opener on the road.
Miami went 13-3 overall and 6-2 in the ACC last season, while Stanford finished 4-8 and 3-5. The Hurricanes' first three conference road games come at Stanford, Wake Forest on Sept. 18 and Clemson on Oct. 3, putting an early demand on a team that has not yet played at home. Miami hosts Florida A&M on Thursday, Sept. 10.
USC is trying to establish itself before a tougher Big Ten stretch arrives. The Trojans host Louisiana on Saturday, Sept. 12, then visit Rutgers on Sept. 19 before games against Oregon, Washington and Penn State.
That puts the focus on Maiava's follow-up. He completed 25 of 29 passes for 286 yards and accounted for three touchdowns in USC's 42-26 victory over San José State on Aug. 29.
Fresno State went 9-4 last season, the same overall record USC posted, while the Trojans went 7-2 in Big Ten play and the Bulldogs went 5-3 in conference games. Maiava's second start will show whether that efficient opener can carry into the games that shape USC's season.
02 · The StakesThe Stakes
A Miami loss would immediately damage its path to the College Football Playoff. Josh Pate's preseason bracket placed the Hurricanes at No. 11 in the field, making this road conference opener a direct test of one of his playoff picks.
03 · The Detail Beneath the HeadlineWhat Most People Are Missing
Miami’s No. 7 ranking masks an opening structure with little room to localize one bad road performance. The Hurricanes’ first three ACC games are at Stanford, Wake Forest and Clemson, spread across Sept. 4 to Oct. 3. Their two home dates in that span are Florida A&M and Central Michigan, so Miami will not play a conference game at home until Florida State visits Oct. 17.
That makes Stanford more than the softest-looking assignment based on 2025 records. Miami went 13-3 to Stanford’s 4-8, but every conference result before mid-October will be earned away from home.
04 · The Open QuestionsQuestions to Be Answered
Can Jayden Maiava make his opening efficiency the standard against Fresno State?
Fresno State matched USC’s 9-4 record last season, and USC’s schedule reaches Oregon on Sept. 26, Washington on Oct. 3 and Penn State on Oct. 10. Maiava’s completion rate, passing yards and touchdown total against Fresno State will show whether the 25-of-29 opener established a level or merely a one-game high.
05 · The Watch ListWhat We're Watching
Miami's Road Start
Watch whether the Hurricanes can handle an ACC opener on the road against 1-0 Stanford after not yet playing at home.
Maiava's Follow-Up
The tell is whether Maiava's efficient opener carries into his second start after he completed 25 of 29 passes for 286 yards and accounted for three touchdowns.