CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Miami and Notre Dame.

It is a rivalry that has at points throughout its history, carried national championship implications. Last season, it had an impact on the College Football Playoff field.

It has featured some of the greatest football players to ever wear either orange and green or blue and gold. It has prompted countless arguments and conversations between alumni and fans from both schools. It has been chronicled in countless stories, documentaries, podcasts, and beyond.

But as the top-ranked Hurricanes head to South Bend this week to renew their rivalry with the fourth-ranked Irish on Saturday night, the focus in Coral Gables has been where it has been all season: on finding ways for Miami to get better and making sure it goes 1-0 for the week, regardless of the opponent on the other sideline.

There’s been little talk of rankings and history, or of the injuries both teams are dealing with or how college football’s biggest spotlight will shine on Notre Dame Stadium this weekend.

Instead, the Hurricanes have done their best to keep their eyes on making sure they correct the mistakes they made in last week’s 38-35 win over North Carolina and continue moving toward becoming the team they want to be when the season ends.

“Nothing changes. We still go out there and we continue our processes,” said offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez. “We have routines and our processes that we feel carry us to game day and that’s what we rely on and it shouldn’t change for an opponent. We’re going to continue to prepare hard. They’re a great team and we treat everybody with respect. We’re going to do the same here.”

Said Miami head coach Mario Cristobal, “I think we’re just really focused on doing the things that help you actually win football games …  Predictions, forecasts, narratives, not one of those things, not one of the people talking about those things can block anybody, throw a ball, catch the ball, chase down and make a tackle. You have to be very grateful and humble to be entering the month of November and have a chance to be playing really relevant football and knowing that the teams that are going to continue to do well in November are teams that are really good at technique, fundamentals, and playing with a lot of intensity and playing with a lot of energy. … We’d rather pour the focus into that and figure that any ounce that goes into that other noise is an ounce that wasn’t important to the things that matter.”

There’s no doubt the Hurricanes (8-0) understand the stakes of Saturday’s game, and there is, of course, plenty of respect for the Irish (7-1) and what they’ve accomplished under fifth-year head coach Marcus Freeman.

Entering this week’s matchup, Notre Dame has the nation’s top-ranked defense, holding opponents to an average of just 263.3 yards and a meager 13.4 points per game.

On the other side of the ball, quarterback CJ Carr – whom the Hurricanes saw when Miami beat Notre Dame 27-24 at Hard Rock Stadium last season – has completed 66.7 percent of his passes and thrown for 1,849 yards and 18 touchdowns on the season, while Nolan James Jr., who has rushed for 519 yards on the season, has scored at least once in all eight of the Irish’s games this season.

“We know Notre Dame is a great team, [and they] run a great offense,” said defensive lineman Marquise Lightfoot, who leads the Hurricanes with a team-high seven sacks. “They don’t really allow a lot of sacks, but that’s where we come in and that’s where we’re trying to get them. … We know they have a great o-line, a great quarterback, and just a great scheme.”

Miami brings with it its own high-powered offense and effective scheme.

The Hurricanes have averaged 534.9 yards per game this season, which ranks second among FBS programs. They’ve scored an average of 47.6 points per games, which leads the nation, and quarterback Darian Mensah has been a force.

The signal caller and ACC Preseason Player of the Year leads the nation with his 80.7 completion percentage and has thrown for 2,425 yards and 25 touchdowns, with just one interception.

Miami’s deep running backs room will also look to provide a spark, with Javian Mallory and Mark Fletcher Jr. each rushing for more than 450 yards on the season and combining for 16 touchdowns.

“That’s every game. We want to try and run the ball efficiently,” said Fletcher, who last week became Miami’s all-time career touchdowns leader. “To win any game, it’s definitely going to be on the big guys, the trenches, going both ways, offensively and defensively. It’s a big role.”

Said Mensah, “I think it’s a huge opportunity for our guys to go out and execute. I think they’ve got a lot of great players on the defensive side of the ball, both sides of the ball. They’re a great team and I think it’s just a great opportunity for our guys to go out and have some fun.”

And that is how Miami is approaching Saturday’s highly anticipated matchup against the Irish: an opportunity.

It’s one more chance for them to play Hurricanes football, one more chance to get better, one more chance to grow and one more chance to move closer to their goals.

“I like to say that it’s my guys versus your guys and I’m trying to go out and execute. That’s all,” Mensah said. “I’m trying not to add anything extra to the game. Obviously, other people like to and will. But at the end of the day, this is a game that I’ve been playing since I was a kid and I’m trying to go out there and win.”

Said Cristobal, “The expectations within the walls here are greater than any outside noise or quote-unquote pressure can be. Our players recognize the incredible opportunity we have in front of us and the incredible opponent that we are facing. So, all focus and all energy is on preparing to the best of our abilities.”