The Miami Hurricanes may have Florida State on the schedule Saturday night, but the bigger recruiting story could be happening in the stands.
No. 3 Miami is set to welcome a packed group of five-star prospects to Hard Rock Stadium for the rivalry game, and one name stands out: Texas A&M commit Mark Matthews.
The Fort Lauderdale native, who attends St. Aquinas High School, was invited late and could be in position to give Miami another look.
Matthews is expected to join an eye-catching guest list that also includes five-star safety Casey Barner, five-star wide receiver Brysen Wright, five-star edge rusher Asher Ghioto, five-star wide receiver Jaylen Addai, five-star cornerback Nasir Richardson, five-star offensive tackle Maui Tonata, and five-star defensive tackle Prince Che. All of them are in the 2028 class.
Miami’s push comes after Matthews committed to the Aggies in mid-May instead of staying close to home. Since then, though, the picture in College Station has changed. Texas A&M is 3-3 overall and 1-3 in SEC play through six games, and the program’s College Football Playoff hopes are hanging by a thread.
Miami, by contrast, has surged to 5-0 overall and 3-0 in ACC play. The Hurricanes have been rolling on both sides of the ball, and their offense has been especially explosive. At 49.6 points per game, Miami leads the Football Bowl Subdivision in scoring.
That production has come with a rebuilt offensive line under position coach Alex Mirabal. After losing four starters from last season, there were real questions about how the group would hold up.
Miami didn’t go heavy into the transfer portal and instead trusted the players already in the building, and the results have been strong. Left tackle Samson Okunlola, center Ryan Rodriguez, and right tackle Matthew McCoy have all stepped into larger roles and thrived.
Cristobal has already shown he can land major recruiting flips, and Saturday offers another chance to do it in front of a loaded crowd. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. E.T., with the game airing nationally on ESPN.
In Other News...
Former Miami Tight End Could Soon Shake Up The Big Ten Race
Alex Baumans path from Miami to Michigan took another turn this week after the former Hurricanes tight end won a legal injunction that allowed him to enter the transfer portal and head to the Wolverines. For a Michigan team looking for answers on offense, the timing matters. The Wolverines have been trying to stabilize a unit that has not found its footing, and adding Bauman gives them another piece to work with as they try to sharpen that side of the ball.
Michigan plans to bring Bauman in along with another player, and his debut is expected soon. For Miami fans, it is another reminder of how quickly a former player can surface in a new conference and potentially matter in a big way. For the Wolverines, it is less about the headline and more about whether Bauman can help provide the kind of boost their offense has been missing as the Big Ten race tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Defense Has Florida State Facing A Dangerous Quarterback Problem
Florida State arrives with a quarterback who can make things interesting in a hurry, and Ashton Daniels has already shown why. According to Pro Football Focus, he has the longest average time to throw in the country at 3.63 seconds, a style that can create explosive plays but also leaves plenty of room for sacks and interceptions when the pocket starts to close. For Miami, that kind of quarterback profile is familiar territory, because this defense has long been built to punish hesitation and force offenses to live with the consequences.
Daniels tendency to hold the ball puts the Seminoles in a tricky spot against a Hurricanes front that has historically done a good job of shrinking the impact of quarterbacks who need extra time. Miami has been especially effective at limiting those passers both through the air and on the ground, and that makes the matchup feel less about flash and more about who blinks first. If Daniels is forced into long-developing reads again, the Hurricanes will like their chances of turning pressure into problems. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Heads Into Florida State With One Big Protection Concern
Miami is getting ready to host Florida State in a rivalry game that always seems to bring a little extra edge, but this week the conversation around Coral Gables has centered as much on health as on matchup prep. Malachi Toney is dealing with a shoulder injury, and the offensive line picture has been complicated further by Max Buchanans surgery, leaving protection as a clear point of concern heading into a game where pass rush pressure can quickly change everything.
The encouraging news for Miami is that the secondary has started to get some bodies back, and the defense still enters this one ranked among the nations best. Even so, the Hurricanes know that against Florida State, the line of scrimmage can dictate the night, and how well they hold up up front may end up being the difference between controlling the rivalry and spending the evening on the back foot. [Read more 🡒]