The ACC & SEC’s shift to the nine-game conference schedule is already shaking up college football. While most schools started canceling and changing their non-conference matchups, Miami’s AD revealed his plans for pre-agreed games in their future non-conference schedule.

According to CBS Sports’ Barry Jackson, Miami’s AD, Dan Radakovich, confirmed they would move forward with playing against Utah and Auburn in their future non-conference schedule, unless an opponent backs out first.

With that said, the Miami Hurricanes will face Utah in the 2027 season opener at Allegiant Stadium in Vegas. The game is scheduled to take place on Labor Day weekend of 2027 and will be a part of ESPN’s Vegas Kickoff Classic. The game was mutually agreed upon in July 2024 and would be the first game for the Hurricanes at the venue. It’s an enormous opportunity for both teams to perform in a world-class venue, and Radakovich himself had shared his excitement for the matchup. 

“We are excited to kick off the 2027 season against Utah in the Vegas Kickoff Classic,” Miami AD said in July 2024. “It not only gives our program an opportunity to play a great non-conference opponent on a national stage, but also gives our fans the chance to cheer on the Hurricanes in a world-class venue at a destination location.”

Beyond the high-profile neutral-site game, Radakovich also reaffirmed a traditional home-and-home series with an SEC power, further cementing the program’s scheduling strategy. As per the contract, the Hurricanes will host the Tigers on Sept. 1, 2029, and will visit Auburn the following year on Aug. 31, 2030. Both games would kick off their regular season and would be their first game since 1984. Miami and Auburn agreed to the series in 2021, and the agreed matchup hasn’t seen any changes yet.

While Miami and Auburn look rock solid with their ACC-SEC matchup, another inter-conference matchup got called off.

South Carolina and NC State revoked their ACC-SEC series

South Carolina and NC State agreed to a home-and-home series for the 2030 and 2031 seasons. Per their agreed schedule, the Gamecocks will host the Wolfpack in Columbia in 2030 and will travel to Carter-Finley Stadium in 2031. However, with both ACC and SEC moving to the nine-game conference schedule, they mutually agreed to cancel their series.

According to the report, South Carolina’s AD Jeremiah Donati initiated the cancellation, and NC State’s AD Boo Corrigan agreed. Since it was mutually agreed, neither team had to pay compensation. This is the third marquee matchup getting canceled for NC State since October 2024. Florida was the first to withdraw its series, which was scheduled for the 2026 and 2032 seasons. Following that, Georgia cancelled its two-game series against the Wolfpack, which was scheduled to happen in 2033 and 2034.

This leaves the Wolfpack with only one remaining two-game series against an SEC opponent, Vanderbilt. NC State will face the Commodores on September 19 this fall, in Nashville, while they will host them in Raleigh on September 16, 2028. As conference realignment forces teams to rework their schedules, Miami is drawing a line in the sand by honoring its commitments, while programs like NC State are left scrambling, which is a clear divide in how schools are navigating college football’s new landscape.