The 7th-ranked Miami Hurricanes open their 2026 season with an Atlantic Coast Conference showdown against the Stanford Cardinal. The game is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT) with TV coverage on ESPN and streaming on-demand.
How to watch #7 Miami vs. Stanford on TV and stream without cable:
When: Friday, Sept. 4 at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT)Where: Stanford Stadium, Stanford, Calif. TV channel: ESPNStreaming on: FuboTV (free trial) | DirecTV (free trial) | SlingTV (low intro rate) | ESPN Unlimited ($29.99/mo.)
#7 Miami vs. Stanford: The matchup
The Hurricanes are back in business and reloading behind transfer quarterback Darian Mensah, looking to get over the hump after reaching the College Football Playoff a year ago. Miami surged late to slip into the playoff field as the No. 10 seed and went on a postseason tear to defeat No. 7 Texas A&M (10-3), No. 2 Ohio State (24-14) and No. 6 Ole Miss (31-27) before falling to No. 1 Indiana (27-21) in the title matchup. The Hurricanes are contenders once again, with Mensah bringing his dual-threat skills to help the Canes offense soar.
See also: College football coverage on PennLive
The Cardinal are 24.5-point underdogs on their home field, as they enter with a 1-0 record and a 37-27 win over Hawaii under their belt. Stanford led the Rainbow Warriors 23-7 in the fourth quarter, squandered that lead, but scored the final 14 points of the game to escape with a win at Stanford Stadium. Running back Micah Ford rushed for 99 yards and three touchdowns in the winning effort.
#7 Miami vs. Stanford: Know your live streams
FuboTV (free trial): Offers most extensive package of live sports with rates competitive with DirecTV. The FuboTV Pro Package ($54.99) includes ESPN Unlimited, but the Elite with Sports Plus package ($74.99) is required for NFL Red Zone. Monthly rates rise to $84.99 and $104.99 after that.
DirecTV (free trial): DirecTV offers a 5-day free trial and $49.99 first month ($89.99 after) with a current offer for $40 off the first full month. DirecTV’s Entertainment package ($49.99) carries ESPN Unlimited and NFL Red Zone on its channel lineup.
SlingTV (low intro rate): Full month of streaming runs as low as $45.99 with day passes available for 24 hours ($4.99), Friday-Sunday ($9.99) and 7-day access ($14.99). Most noteworthy omission is CBS, which carries college football and NFL games.
ESPN Unlimited ($31.99 bundle): ESPN has a new, standalone package that includes ABC broadcasts, all of ESPN’s sports channels, and access to ESPN+. For a limited time, ESPN can be bundled with Disney Plus and Hulu for $31.99 per month. This package is included free in select FuboTV and DirecTV plans, along with other TV providers.