As first reported by Action Network’s Brett McMurphy, the Utah Utes and Miami Hurricanes will kick off the 2027 season with a matchup at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada — the same venue that will host Big 12 Football Media Days this week.
A release from ESPN confirmed the report on Monday afternoon, confirming a historic matchup between two successful football traditions from worlds apart.
“The historic, interregional matchup between the Big 12 Conference and ACC powers is set for Labor Day Weekend 2027,” ESPN’s release reads. “Game date, time and network will be announced at a later date. It will be the third Vegas Kickoff Classic, following Arizona vs. BYU played in 2021 and the much-anticipated USC vs. LSU blockbuster will make up the second edition on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 4:30 p.m. PT (7:30 p.m. ET) on ABC.”
John Saccenti, executive director of the Vegas Kickoff Classic, has dubbed this matchup—still three years in the future—The Battle of the ‘U.’
“One of the great things about college football is that there are still first-time matchups like this one to capture the attention of fans across the nation,” said Saccenti. “We have a frequent visitor to our city in Utah playing a national brand like Miami for the first time ever at one of the world’s greatest football venues. The Battle of the ‘U’ — the ‘U’ of the West against the ‘U’ of the South facing each other in the Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World — and we cannot wait.”
Athletic directors from both universities also shared their thoughts on the scheduled matchup.
“This is a tremendous showcase for our football program and our university to open the 2027 season on a national stage in the Vegas Kickoff Classic,” Utah AD Mark Harlan said. “We are excited for this opportunity to match up against the Miami Hurricanes, and we extend our thanks to the Las Vegas Bowl and ESPN Events for the invitation. It is a testament to our program and our great fans to participate in this type of event, and when the time comes, we will paint Allegiant Stadium red once again.”
“We are excited to kick off the 2027 season against Utah in the Vegas Kickoff Classic,” said Miami AD Dan Radakovich. “It not only gives our program an opportunity to play a great non-conference opponent on a national stage, but also gives our fans the chance to cheer on the Hurricanes in a world-class venue at a destination location.”
