The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have won in Miami more recently than the Miami Hurricanes have. That little piece of trivia comes courtesy of the Irish winning the College Football Playoff semifinal in the Orange Bowl, establishing a lofty threshold for them to chase in Marcus Freeman’s fourth year.
My Notre Dame vs. Miami predictions expect the Irish to win a second straight game in Miami, something it has not done since 1985 and 1987.
Read on for my college football picks for Sunday, August 31.
Notre Dame vs Miami prediction
Notre Dame vs Miami best bet: Notre Dame -2.5 (-122 at FanDuel)
Let’s approach this by wondering what the single best unit is in this game. That is a subjective wonder, of course, but it may still have a definitive answer.
Whether trying to answer it in the micro or the macro, the answer is the same: the Notre Dame Fighting Irish has the single best unit in this game. In the micro, the Irish have the best offensive line in the country, combined with arguably the best running back group in the country.
That combination creates a rushing attack that should stand out in this matchup.
In the macro, each of Notre Dame’s three defensive position groups — linemen, linebackers, and defensive backs — is considered top five in the country when weighing across the three most popular season preview publications. The Irish defense should be feared by all opponents.
That combination should assure Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman the ability to grind this game into the dirt, as he prefers to do. Since the day he was hired, the former defensive coordinator has preached building “an offensive and defensive line-driven program.”
That is an easy thing to say, but a harder thing to build, and yet Freeman has. He leaned on those two lines, including a then-inexperienced offensive line, to win at Texas A&M as a short underdog to open last season.
That exact same template can apply as a short favorite in another season-opening road game, now with a far more experienced offensive line.
Notre Dame vs Miami same-game parlay
Notre Dame junior running back Jeremiyah Love's props are deflated a bit by the thought that the Irish may resort to a committee approach with carries. But preseason practices indicated it will not be as much of a timeshare as last season, and Notre Dame has an idle week next week, anyway.
Love can rest then. For now, Notre Dame will emphasize a win courtesy of his strength and speed behind an offensive line that has actually improved drastically since the run to the national championship game.
Bet this Notre Dame vs. Miami SGP now at FanDuel!
Our deep-ball SGP: Love to the House!
Notre Dame wants to deflate Hard Rock Stadium. It wants to rely on a veteran defense with excellent cornerbacks to suffocate Miami and Carson Beck. And the Irish will trust Love to churn away all game, no matter how long it takes to find the end zone a time or two.
The Miami Hurricanes may try to beat Notre Dame downfield, but the Irish cornerbacks are too veteran to let a blown play or two ruin their focus for an entire game.
Notre Dame vs Miami odds
- Spread: Notre Dame -2.5 | Miami +2.5
- Moneyline: Notre Dame -144 | Miami +120
- Over/Under: Over 50.5 | Under 50.5
Notre Dame vs Miami trend to know
Notre Dame has gone 3-0 against the spread in the three season openers under Marcus Freeman, all three games being away from South Bend. Find more college football betting trends for Notre Dame vs Miami.
How to watch Notre Dame vs Miami
| Location | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, Florida |
| Date | Sunday, August 31, 2025 |
| Kickoff | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ABC |
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Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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