No. 4 Notre Dame hosts No. 1 Miami on Saturday in a high-stakes matchup between national title contenders—and a chance for the winner to make a case for the top spot. The Irish have the home-field edge, but must contain Miami’s explosive offense and get a standout performance from quarterback CJ Carr. The preview predicts Miami will win, 34-31.

By the Numbers
  • Miami: 8-0 this season; Notre Dame: No. 4; Miami: No. 1.
  • Miami quarterback Darian Mensah: 2,425 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and 1 interception.
  • Miami receiver Malachi Toney: 73 catches, 1,027 yards and 13 touchdowns.
  • Notre Dame averages 443 yards of offense per game; Miami allows 313.
  • Miami averages 535 yards of offense per game; Notre Dame allows 236.
  • Notre Dame leads the all-time series 18-9-1; Miami won the 2025 meeting, 27-24.
Yes, But

Notre Dame has the home crowd and, on paper, an advantage when its offense faces Miami’s defense. But Miami’s attack has been more productive, while the Irish defense has struggled in recent high-profile games and will be missing several key players. The preview sees the Irish as capable of winning, but picks Miami.

State of Play
  • Kickoff is Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend.
  • Notre Dame is favored by 5.5 points, despite the prediction favoring Miami.
  • Notre Dame’s Drayk Bowen, Chris Burgess Jr., Tae Johnson and DJ McKinney are out; Francis Brewu and Jason Onye are questionable.
  • The forecast calls for a 23% chance of rain, with a high of 52°F and low of 42°F.
What’s Next

The winner will strengthen its case to be ranked No. 1 next week. For Notre Dame, the game also tests whether Carr and a depleted defense can deliver in a playoff-like setting.

Bottom Line

Notre Dame has the talent and home-field advantage, but must prove it can handle elite competition. The forecast: Miami 34, Notre Dame 31.