The stage is getting ready for the most anticipated revenge matchup from the CFP selection controversy of December 2025. Miami and Notre Dame are set to lock horns on November 7, 2026. The ticket prices are just a small taste of the high stakes of a bitter marquee rivalry.

Nearly three and a half months before the matchup, the get-in ticket price for the showdown at Notre Dame Stadium is $529. Miami’s schedule features many tough games next season, but for most of these matchups, the get-in tickets are around $10-$60. The only other comparable game for Miami is their showdown against Florida State. At the moment, the starting price of the tickets to that game is $219.

The tension between Miami and Notre Dame fans came to the fore last season because of what transpired in December. Before the CFP committee decided its final 12 teams, Notre Dame was in the top 12 for several weeks. However, Marcus Freeman’s dream of improving on his 2024 campaign failed because the committee chose Miami over the Irish on the final list.

When conference schools reach the playoffs, they funnel a multi-million-dollar payout among themselves. As Notre Dame stands independent of every conference, not being selected drained their athletic department’s bank account of that entire $4 million windfall.

While Notre Dame opposed this decision, the committee stood on its reasoning. Miami’s 27-24 head-to-head victory over Notre Dame in the opening week of the season helped them take the lead. Committee Chairman Hunter Yurachek stated that they weighed the head-to-head factor only when both teams were next to each other in the rankings.

Not just Notre Dame, but analysts nationwide also criticized this decision, even labeling it “illogical” and “nonsensical” given that both teams had been idle that week. This caused a lot of friction among the Fighting Irish. After feeling robbed, Notre Dame chose to skip the traditional bowl season entirely to focus on a spite-driven offseason rebuild.

This unresolved history guarantees that when the Hurricanes travel to South Bend in November, it will be a spectacle. This fallout has also reignited a long-standing rivalry between the two programs. The legendary “Catholics vs. Convicts” showdown between Notre Dame and Miami back in 1988 was an explosive game.

Notre Dame’s prestigious private Catholic identity led to the Fighting Irish being named the good Catholic boys. Miami’s reputation as the “bad boys” of college football labeled them as convicts. The 2025 playoff snub has completely resurrected that rivalry.

“We were mystified; we didn’t appreciate the fact that we were singled out repeatedly and compared to Miami,” Notre Dame Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua said. He later claimed the fallout had caused “permanent damage” to scheduling relationships.

How are both teams looking for the upcoming season?

Miami and Notre Dame are both looking like solid championship contenders. Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman has built an elite roster. QB CJ Carr is returning after a stellar sophomore season. He is coming off a 2,741-yard, 24-TD debut campaign and enters fall camp with zero internal competition.

Wide receivers Jordan Faison and Jaden Greathouse are anchoring the explosive passing attack. While the rest of the roster looks dependable, the biggest question mark is their running backs after the departure of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price to the pros.

Miami Hurricanes HC Mario Cristobal has assembled an aggressive overhaul. After a dramatic offseason, Miami officially landed star Duke transfer Darian Mensah. Mensah threw for nearly 4,000 yards and 34 touchdowns last season. To ensure instant chemistry, Mensah’s leading wide receiver at Duke, Cooper Barkate, also transferred to Miami.