South Carolina’s scheduled matchup with Miami for next season has been called off. The two programs will no longer face each other as originally planned, altering the Gamecocks’ upcoming nonconference slate and leaving both schools to adjust their future schedules accordingly.

The SEC’s shift to a nine-game conference schedule has already caused its first significant scheduling shake-up for South Carolina football. The change has prompted the Gamecocks to adjust their future nonconference plans.

On Monday, both South Carolina and Miami announced that they have mutually agreed to cancel their previously scheduled home-and-home series. The two-game matchup had been set for the 2026 and 2027 seasons but will no longer take place.

The original plan called for the Hurricanes to visit Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia to open the 2026 season. In return, the Gamecocks were slated to travel to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami for the 2027 contest.

This cancellation leaves South Carolina with an opening in its future nonconference schedule as the program adapts to the SEC’s expanded league slate. Both schools will now seek new opponents to fill those dates.

The ACC’s decision to adopt a nine-game conference schedule in 2026 also played a role in the change. With both leagues expanding their slates, nonconference scheduling became more complicated for teams like South Carolina and Miami.

For now, South Carolina’s 2026 nonconference lineup includes a home game against Towson and the annual rivalry matchup on the road at Clemson. According to the school’s release, the Gamecocks are already working to secure a third nonconference opponent to round out the schedule.

The adjustment is understandable, given the heightened level of competition in the SEC’s expanded format. With Clemson locked in as a yearly opponent, South Carolina has to be strategic about how it fills the remaining spots on its slate.

By canceling the series with Miami, the Gamecocks have created more scheduling flexibility while avoiding an overly grueling nonconference stretch alongside an already demanding SEC schedule.

With the SEC’s expanded slate tightening South Carolina’s schedule, it’s reasonable to think other future Power 4 nonconference matchups could be reconsidered.

As it stands, the Gamecocks are still slated to face North Carolina in 2028 and 2029, N.C. State in 2030 and 2031, and Virginia Tech in 2034 and 2035.

These games, while attractive for fans, could become scheduling challenges as the SEC’s nine-game format takes hold. Balancing competitive league play with marquee nonconference contests will require careful planning.

For now, those series remain intact, but as schedules evolve, they could come under review to maintain flexibility and avoid overly demanding slates.

According to the release, Miami’s 2026 nonconference schedule now features home games against Florida A&M and Central Michigan, along with a challenging road trip to face Notre Dame.

These matchups remain in place following the cancellation of the home-and-home series with South Carolina.

The Hurricanes’ adjusted slate still provides a mix of regional opponents and a marquee showdown with a national power in Notre Dame.

Losing the South Carolina series trims one high-profile matchup but keeps Miami’s schedule balanced with both winnable games and a significant test on the road.