From the playoff expansion to new rules on the field, a lot of things are different for Miami and the ACC this season.

It’s now the third year of the Mario Cristobal era, and Miami Hurricanes fans are starting to feel a bit restless. It’s been over 20 years since they were in the national championship conversation, with their last title in 2001—an eternity in college football. The pressure is escalating on their alum head coach.

There’s cautious optimism as Miami is coming off a 7-6 season and Cristobal’s overall record is 12-13. The Hurricanes haven’t made significant progress even with the ACC appearing weaker this year. However, the schedule looks more favorable, as they won’t face Clemson during the regular season and will host Florida State at home.

Florida State recently suffered a high-profile loss to Georgia Tech in Dublin, hinting at a potentially wild regular season and open conference. As we dive into the longest college football season to date—starting earlier and ending later—here’s what to expect amid various changes.

Miami Hurricanes:

• Miami is in the preseason AP Top 25 for the third time in four years and the fifth since 2017, although only one team (coached by Mark Richt) finished ranked. Their last ranked finish before that was in 2005 under Larry Coker.
• For the first time since 2017, the Hurricanes have the same head coach along with the offensive and defensive coordinators returning.
• Four Miami players were selected in the NFL draft, led by defensive back Kamren Kinchens in the third round, while the others were seventh-round picks.
• While Miami lost some depth through the transfer portal, they’ve gained seven new starters for Week 1 at Florida, including quarterback Cam Ward from Washington State, who threw for 3,732 yards last season but struggled with turnovers. The offensive line is strong again, which could benefit running back Damien Martinez.
• There’s potential for significant defensive improvement as the season progresses, with a depth chart that differs greatly from last year, particularly watching NC State transfer CJ Clark as a key anchor.

Re-alignment:

• The SEC has added Texas and Oklahoma.
• The Big Ten expanded to 18 teams, bringing in Oregon, USC, UCLA, and Washington.
• The Big 12 now includes Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah.
• The ACC has expanded to 16 teams, adding Cal, Stanford, and SMU, prompting adjustments for travel.
• The Pac-12 is left with only Oregon State and Washington State.
• Army has joined the American Athletic Conference, while the Army-Navy game remains non-conference.

No More Divisions: The only exception to the elimination of divisions is the Sun Belt, which maintains an East and West Division. The SEC has announced several tiebreakers for conference standings, including head-to-head competition and cumulative winning percentages.

College Football Playoff:

• The playoff is expanding from four to 12 teams. First-round games will occur on Dec. 20-21 on college campuses, with the quarterfinals at prominent bowl games and the National Championship Game slated for Jan. 20 in Atlanta. The first CFP rankings will be announced on Nov. 5.

Selection Committee Members Include: A diverse group of former coaches, athletic directors, and sports professionals, highlighting a broad range of expertise.

Rule Changes:

• Introduced a two-minute warning in the second and fourth quarters, similar to the NFL.
• Teams can now use coach-to-player communication via helmets for one player, identified by a green dot on the helmet.
• Coaches can conduct broadcast interviews at the end of the first and third quarters.
• Video tablets are now allowed on the sidelines for real-time game analysis.
• Horse-collar tackles within the tackle box are now penalized as personal fouls.
• The limit on on-field coaching has been lifted.

Television Changes:

• The SEC Game of the Week will now be broadcast on ESPN and ABC instead of CBS.
• The Big Ten will have national broadcasts on multiple networks throughout the day, including Fox and NBC.
• Fox will break the norm and air a national game on Friday nights.
• Remaining Pac-12 teams have a deal with The CW, and the Mountain West will feature games on truTV.

Overall, Saban’s presence on College GameDay will allow fans to hear the many stories he’s shared since 2007. Plus, kickoff times for most games will be announced well in advance, providing better scheduling information than in previous seasons.