Miami is heading into Clemson week with some momentum, and the Hurricanes may be getting healthier at just the right time.
Mario Cristobal said on “The Joe Rose Show” this morning that he expects Mark Fletcher, Jr. and Ahmad Moten, Sr. to be available against Clemson. He also said in his press conference that he believes Armondo Blount should be good to go and that Damari Brown should be a go against the Tigers. Xavier Lucas may not be fully ruled out yet, either, depending on how his evaluation goes this week.
That matters for a Miami team that gets a week off after Saturday and would love to head into that break with everyone intact. The timing could be a real boost before a matchup that suddenly looks a lot more manageable than it did a few weeks ago.
On September 5, LSU hammered Clemson in Baton Rouge, which would have made this feel like a much tougher ask. But the Tigers have shown some fight since then. They rallied to beat UNC and turned in a solid performance at Cal last week, winning 24-10 in a cross-country trip.
Still, there are reasons to like Miami here. Clemson’s passing game doesn’t appear to have much that can truly scare the Hurricanes’ defense, and Dabo Swinney’s offense could have a hard time finding answers. Clemson’s front may slow Miami’s run game early, but the Hurricanes should eventually land enough explosive plays through the air to pull away.
That’s why the call here is Miami 30, Clemson 13.
Elsewhere, there’s been plenty of noise around Miami’s schedule and the broader conference playoff conversation, and not much of it has been flattering to the Hurricanes. SEC fans were quick to take shots over the weekend, and the usual hype machine is doing what it does.
The SEC landed 10 teams in the rankings, including Kentucky after a 31-21 win over what was described as an “apparently ass Texas A&M team,” even though Kentucky also lost at home 45-17 to Alabama. That same Alabama team battled FSU all the way through a 50-36 win.
Louisville also came up in the discussion after pushing Ole Miss to a final field goal in Week 1, only to lose at home to Wake Forest, a team that now has two Power Four road wins this season. And yet, voters and plenty of fans still brush that off with, “they’re just Wake Forest.”
The point is simple: Miami is not going to get the same treatment as an SEC team if it finishes 10-2, so the Hurricanes can’t afford a slip-up like a Louisville or SMU type of result. The committee outlook appears to be tilted toward the SEC again in 2026, and Notre Dame remains a contractual lock if it finishes No. 12 or higher.
So for Miami, the message is straightforward: win the ACC, take care of business, and remove the guesswork. And as for Greg Rousseau, the former Hurricane keeps making his own case at the next level.
He was dominant for the Buffalo Bills in a 24-16 win over the Chargers, piling up two sacks and four tackles for loss. On the year, he already leads the NFL with six sacks, and if he keeps this pace, his career high may not last much longer.
In Other News...
Clemson Just Got A Tougher Miami Test Than Expected
Miami got a welcome update heading into its matchup with Clemson, with coach Mario Cristobal saying running back Mark Fletcher Jr. and defensive tackle Ahmad Moten Sr. are expected to be available. Both had been held out of the previous game after picking up minor injuries against Wake Forest, leaving the Hurricanes a little thinner than usual in two important spots.
Now, those absences appear to be short-lived, and that matters in a game where Miami will want as much stability as possible on both sides of the ball. Fletcher gives the Hurricanes another option in the backfield, while Motens presence up front helps a defense that will be tested in a big way, even as Cristobal says both players are healthy and ready to go. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Suddenly Has A Real RB2 Debate Before Clemson
Chris Wheatley-Humphrey gave Miami something to think about in the win over Central Michigan, turning 11 carries into more than 100 yards and a touchdown while Mark Fletcher Jr. was held out to get ready for Clemson. The timing matters because the Hurricanes have been searching for clarity behind their feature back, and the latest outing only sharpened the conversation. When a reserve back puts together that kind of performance, it changes how a depth chart looks heading into a much bigger stage.
Mario Cristobal said Fletcher was rested with Clemson in mind, and Miami appears headed toward a committee approach for the RB2 role anyway. Wheatley-Humphrey, Girard Pringle and Jordan Lyle are all in the mix, which gives the Hurricanes options but also leaves the pecking order unsettled. Against a defense like Clemsons, the question is not just who gets the next carry, but who can earn the staffs trust when the game gets tight. [Read more 🡒]
Cristobal Put Miamis Clemson Focus On Two Issues After Blowout Win
After Miamis 52-3 rout of Central Michigan, the focus inside the program quickly shifted from the lopsided final to the details that matter next. The Hurricanes piled up 572 yards and forced three turnovers, with Darian Mensah sharp through the air and Malachi Toney continuing to give the offense a big-play presence, but head coach Mario Cristobal spent his media time zeroing in on how the game was managed and how the roster was rotated.
Clemson is the real measuring stick ahead, and Cristobals message after the win centered on two issues that will shape how prepared Miami looks when that one arrives. The matchup is already looming as a major test for a team that handled Central Michigan with ease, and the attention now is on whether the Canes can keep the same edge while tightening the pieces that matter most in a bigger game. [Read more 🡒]