There is an age-old question that comes up every time Miami wins a couple of games. Is The U back? It is a question that makes me cringe every time i hear a national media member utter it on his platform. As a lifelong Miami fan, the only time the Canes will be back is when they start winning titles again. Start with an ACC title, make a playoff run, and if a National Title follows, the Miami will truly
be back. Let’s go back to when Mario Cristobal was hired and he told us it was going to take time to build the program to his standards, and with the ability to compete. At the time, I never realized how far the program was from being truly contenders again. Coach Cristobal realized that the talent was not where it needed to be, and only through recruiting, hard work and the right hires would e get to where we wanted to be. Fast forward to 2025, and Mario Cristobal has the team assembled to be National title contenders. I had a chance to talk to Coach Cristobal during ACC media days, and I asked him point blank was this a roster that could compete. With a smile on his face, his answer was an emphatic yes. The roster has been constructed exactly how he wanted it, dominant on both lines of scrimmage, with a veteran QB, a great running game, and a new look aggressive defense. The schedule sets up for a fantastic run if they can get through the next 3 weeks and not trip up against inferior opponents.
What makes Miami a true contender?
The first place is having a veteran Quarterback, which the Canes have. Carson Beck is that guy, the narrative surrounding him entering the season was downright puzzling. Beck is one of the most accomplished passers in all of college football. Beck was also a great winner at Georgia where he led them to two straight SEC Championship games and a 24-3 record as a starter. There was a time in the middle of last season where he threw a bunch of interceptions, but a lot of that was attributed to a receiving core who led the nation in dropped passes. The running game was un-Georgia like, and their offensive line dealt with and was not very good. Beck still threw for 3485 yards 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Miami is lucky to have a guy like this, and his veteran presence has helped the Canes get off to a 2-0 start.
The second place is on the lines of scrimmage. For many years over the past two decades Miami was average at best on the lines. Once Cristobal was brought in, the lines became a priority. Francis Mauigoa was the first 5-Star commit, and now as a junior is one of the best linemen in the country. After Mauigoa the pieces fell into place. Anez Cooper has become a great RG, James Brockermeyer came over to anchor the middle. The left side has Markel Bell and Samson Okunlola mixed with Matthew McCoy and others. This is one of the best line groups in the entire country and have proven over 2 games that they’ve lived up to the hype. If this group stays healthy, Miami will be able to protect and run the ball. The defensive line is equally dominant, led by Rueben Bain Jr. wo has blossomed into a Top 10 pick. Ahkeem Mesidor anchors the other side and the depth at end is fantastic. Miami also added piece through the portal to fix the interior.
The Canes struggled last year on defense, so new coordinator Corey Heatherman brought over an aggressive style that seems to fit the athletes at The U. It is early, but the returns so far seem to be in line with what was expected. Notre Dame could not run the ball effectively and the coverage Texas busts that plagued them last year seem to be cut down by a big percentage. If the defense can stay at the Top 25 level, Miami will be in the mix even when the offense does not have a great day.
The last part that makes Miami a contender is the competition around the country. Ohio St is really good, but they are also young at some key positions. Georgia is going through a transition at QB and still needs to improve their offensive output. Oregon looks fantastic but is still unproven at quarterback. Texas fell on their face in the opener and Arch Manning still needs to show he can play well against good teams. LSU and Clemson looked tough in the opening battle, but both looked sluggish in week 2. There is not a true dominant team across the country, so it feels like 10-12 teams have legitimate chances to win the title.
Is Miami back? We won’t know that until January, but through two weeks of the college football season, one thing is clear to me, the Miami Hurricanes are National Title contenders. It is ok to believe that, because unlike past seasons, the proof is right in front of us.
GO CANES
