Following Miami from the UK usually involves some creative sleeping arrangements, but the Hurricanes’ Halloween trip to North Carolina has been given a slightly more manageable kick off time.
The ACC confirmed on Monday that Miami will visit Chapel Hill on Saturday 31 October at 7:30pm Eastern, meaning 11:30pm here in the UK.
The reason? British Summer Time ends on 25 October, a week before the clocks change in America. For one weekend, we get an hour back on our usual late-night kick offs.
I’ll take whatever help I can get.
The game will be broadcast on either ABC or ESPN in the US, with the final decision expected after this weekend’s fixtures.
A tricky Halloween trip awaits
North Carolina have been something of a bogey team for Miami in recent years, with the Hurricanes still looking for their first victory over the Tar Heels since 2018.
And while it’s tempting to look ahead, particularly with Miami now ranked No. 1, there’s still Pittsburgh to deal with first.
Saturday’s home game offers a much friendlier 5pm UK kick off, alongside celebrations marking 25 years since Miami’s legendary 2001 national championship.
Two very different Saturdays for those of us watching across the pond.
Encouraging news for Cristobal and another award for Mallory
Mario Cristobal also provided a positive update on Monday following the exhausting double-overtime victory against Florida State.
The Hurricanes appear to have emerged from the game without significant new injuries, although Cristobal acknowledged that illness had affected some players recently.
Ja’Boree Antoine remains further away from returning, with no confirmed timetable.
Meanwhile, Javian Mallory has earned his second ACC Rookie of the Week award following his performance against Florida State.
The freshman rushed for 108 yards and two touchdowns, including the crucial 25-yard score that kept Miami alive in the first overtime.
His emergence is becoming increasingly important, particularly with injuries affecting the running back room.
The Last Word from Across the Pond
The kick off announcement is welcome news, but what interests me most is how the next fortnight will test Miami’s ability to maintain their momentum.
Pittsburgh presents the first challenge of playing as the nation’s No. 1 team. Then comes a North Carolina side that has caused Miami problems for years.
We’ve seen this team win comfortably and survive a rivalry thriller. Now I’d like to see them put together another controlled performance without needing the late drama.
And if they can do that while giving us a couple of reasonable nights’ sleep, even better.
