Miami’s 45-6 dismantling of Stanford on Friday night gave the Hurricanes plenty of buzz, and ESPN’s Jordan Rodgers wasted no time buying in.
The Hurricanes looked every bit like a team with championship-level expectations in their season opener, and Rodgers came away especially fired up about what he saw from quarterback Darian Mensah and receiver Malachi Toney. Miami’s trip to Stanford turned into a showcase, with Mensah delivering a huge debut: 401 passing yards and five touchdowns. Toney matched the moment with a record-setting performance of his own, piling up 234 receiving yards to set the school mark for a single game while also scoring three touchdowns.
Rodgers, speaking on “Get Up,” didn’t stop at praise for the opener. He put Miami ahead of where it was a year ago and made his view crystal clear.
“This Miami team is better than they were last year,” Rodgers said on “Get Up.” “And that’s a last year that took them to a national championship [appearance].
They are better. I know they lost a couple of key pieces on defense with Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor, but they got three young guys and a transfer rotating to fill those spots out.
And Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney is the best combination in all of sports.”
That kind of reaction fits the start Miami just delivered. The Hurricanes are now No. 7 in the latest AP Top 25, and they’ll try to keep the momentum rolling Thursday against Florida A&M. If they handle that business, they’ll move to 2-0 before a Week 3 meeting with Wake Forest.
Kickoff against the Rattlers is set for 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
In Other News...
Former Miami CB D'Yoni Hill Lands In A Strange New Situation
DYoni Hills football path has already taken him from Marshall to Miami and then Wisconsin, and now he is set for another stop, with Oklahoma planning to add the veteran cornerback as a midseason transfer. Hill has experience starting games at both Miami and Wisconsin, which gives him the kind of rsum teams look for when they need help in a hurry, even if his role this time is expected to be more about depth than jumping straight into the lineup.
For Miami fans, the odd part is not just the new destination, but the timing and the larger question hanging over his career. Hill is also tied up in a lawsuit seeking an additional year of eligibility, so the move to Oklahoma comes with another layer of uncertainty beyond simply getting cleared to join the roster. If the process goes through, it would give Oklahoma a seasoned defensive back with a familiar track record, but the full shape of his next chapter is still far from settled. [Read more 🡒]
Miami May Have Found A Freshman Defender Ready For More
Miamis defense got a closer look at true freshman J.J. Dunnigan in his college debut against Stanford, and the early signs were encouraging. Dunnigan logged 33 snaps and finished with a tackle for loss, a useful first impression for a player who arrived as a four-star recruit in the 2026 class and picked the Hurricanes over several other programs.
Mario Cristobal and defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman both singled out Dunnigans physical traits and versatility, which is usually the kind of praise that matters most when a young defensive back is trying to earn more than a cameo. The intriguing part for Miami is how he might fit moving forward, since the staff sees him as someone who can line up in more than one spot and potentially give the secondary another piece to work with sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]
Mario Cristobal Just Sent A Message About Miamis Most Hyped Newcomers
Damon Wilson II and Jackson Cantwell arrived in Coral Gables with plenty of buzz, but Miami opened the 2026 season by easing both into backup roles rather than handing them jobs on reputation alone. Wilson worked 44 snaps as a second-team edge rusher, while Cantwell logged 34 snaps at right guard behind starter Max Buchanan, a reminder that the Hurricanes are still sorting out the depth chart even for some of their most talked-about newcomers.
Mario Cristobal has made the message plain: nothing is promised, and young players have to earn their way onto the field. For Miami, that approach may be the point, especially with a roster built around development as much as immediate impact. The early usage of Wilson and Cantwell suggests the Hurricanes are willing to be patient, even with players many expected to push for bigger roles right away. [Read more 🡒]