Mark Matthews is back on the board, and Miami suddenly has a clear runway at one of the biggest prizes in the 2027 class.
The five-star offensive tackle from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale backed off his commitment to Texas A&M on Sunday, reopening a recruitment the Hurricanes have been chasing for years. Matthews is the top-rated offensive tackle in the class, and at 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, he’s exactly the kind of cornerstone Mario Cristobal has been hunting.
Miami has been working this one for a long time. Cristobal, offensive line coach Alex Mirabal and GM Dennis Smith kept pushing even after Matthews committed to the Aggies in May. That effort mattered, especially with Matthews living about a half hour from campus and the Hurricanes staying in close contact throughout the process.
For a while, Texas A&M looked like it had real staying power. Matthews was on campus in College Station nearly every weekend over the summer, and the Aggies’ financial muscle made plenty of people think he would hold firm.
But the picture around that commitment changed. Texas A&M made the CFP a year ago, but now it will be lucky to make a bowl game, and whatever momentum Mike Elko had in 2025 has faded.
Aggies fans also aren’t exactly known for patience.
Miami’s pitch has only gotten stronger, too. The Hurricanes already have a loaded 2027 class, and blue-chip wide receiver Brysen Wright recently joined the mix after reclassifying from 2028. With Wright on board, Miami now has the No. 1 ’27 class in the country per 247Sports.
If there’s a soft spot in that class, it’s up front. Matthews would fix that in a hurry.
And Cristobal may not be finished. DJ Jacobs is still in play, and his Ohio State commitment has looked shakier by the week, especially with the Buckeyes potentially falling out of the CFP Top 25 when the new rankings come out Tuesday.
The Week 10 loss to Notre Dame was supposed to be only a bump in the road for Miami’s 2026 season. At the same time, Cristobal is building something bigger - a roster he hopes can keep the Hurricanes near the top for years to come.
In Other News...
Miami Loss At Notre Dame Exposed A Problem That Could Linger
Miamis 31-24 loss at Notre Dame did more than hand the Hurricanes a frustrating road defeat. It also put a spotlight on how much the offense can change when Malachi Toney is unavailable, as Miami labored through a quiet first half without one of its key wideouts and had to spend the rest of the night playing from behind.
Darian Mensah still gave Miami a chance, finishing 24 of 43 for 304 yards and three touchdowns, but his first interception of the season came at an untimely moment in a game that already felt tilted. The Hurricanes made a late push, yet Notre Dames second-half lead held up, and the bigger concern now is whether Miami can keep enough firepower in place if Toney ends up missing the rest of the year. [Read more 🡒]
Miamis First Loss Exposed A Problem They Couldnt Overcome
Miamis first loss of the season came with a familiar kind of frustration, the sort that lingers because it felt avoidable for long stretches. Notre Dame outlasted the Hurricanes 31-24 at Notre Dame Stadium, and the game turned on the kinds of moments Miami could not quite control, from C.J. Carrs efficient day at quarterback to a critical interception by Luke Talich that helped swing the flow back toward the Irish.
For Miami, the offensive issues were there early, especially with injured star Malachi Toney unavailable, and the Hurricanes never fully found the rhythm they needed to keep pace. Darian Mensah did throw a touchdown pass, but Miamis defense had trouble getting enough heat on Carr, who finished with 319 yards and three scores, leaving the Hurricanes with a loss that exposed a problem they could not overcome. [Read more 🡒]
Mario Cristobal Sounds Off After Miamis Most Infuriating Moment At Notre Dame
Mario Cristobal did not hide his frustration after Miamis trip to Notre Dame ended in a 31-24 loss, with the biggest flashpoint coming on Elija Loftons apparent game-tying touchdown catch that was ruled incomplete. The call went to review and was upheld, leaving the Hurricanes to absorb a defeat that felt even more painful because of how close they were to changing the outcome late.
Cristobal made clear in his postgame comments that he was unhappy with the officiating, even as he congratulated Notre Dame on the win. For Miami, the moment will linger because it came at the center of a game that already carried plenty of weight, and because the final ruling left the Hurricanes with more questions than answers about what might have been. [Read more 🡒]