Pat McAfee went out on College GameDay and made the kind of ACC prediction that instantly set off alarms: he backed Bill Belichick and North Carolina to win the league over Miami.
That call already feels like a stretch. North Carolina opened the season with a 15-10 win over TCU in Dublin last Saturday, but the Tar Heels were 4-8 last year and spent the offseason in one of the wildest media storms college football has seen in a while. Belichick brings eight Super Bowl rings and 300-plus NFL wins with him, but UNC’s debut under him didn’t exactly scream certainty.
Miami, meanwhile, came out Friday and handled Stanford 45-6. Darian Mensah was 27-of-30 for 401 yards and five touchdowns, and Malachi Toney hauled in 12 catches for a school-record 234 yards and three scores. That’s the kind of performance that answers questions fast, which is why McAfee’s choice looked so hard to defend.
North Carolina’s situation is messy off the field, too. Michael Lombardi resigned Thursday after being on paid leave since July 27 following an HR complaint from a former front-office employee. There are also questions about whether former defensive coordinator Steve Belichick used drugs at university facilities or provided drugs to at least one player, and separately whether a recruiting staffer had a sexual relationship with a player.
On top of that, the College Sports Commission, which oversees NIL and revenue-sharing rules, has approached UNC about a potential investigation, with Lombardi’s actions said to be of interest.
So yes, McAfee picked UNC over Miami to win the ACC. And with everything that’s already happened, it’s a choice that looks flat-out ridiculous.
In Other News...
Miamis Rebuilt Offensive Line Just Gave Fans Real Early Hope
Miamis rebuilt offensive line gave the Hurricanes a reassuring first look in the season opener against Stanford, holding the pocket together well enough for a clean sheet in the most basic category that matters up front. Miami allowed no sacks and avoided penalties entirely, a useful sign for a unit that entered the year with questions about continuity and depth, and one that had to blend veterans with a mix of freshmen and new additions right away.
Samson Okunlola, Ryan Rodriguez and Matthew McCoy were part of the starting group and each had a solid opening-night showing, while several younger players also got chances as the staff sorted through the rotation. Pro Football Focus graded the newcomers unevenly, which is hardly surprising this early, but the larger takeaway for Miami is simple enough: the line looked organized, competitive and, for one night, much further along than many expected. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Freshmen Are Forcing Their Way Into Real Roles Already
Miami wasted no time leaning on youth in its season opener against Stanford, and the freshman class was not just along for the ride. Thirteen true freshmen saw the field on offense and defense, a sign that this roster is already asking first-year players to do more than simply learn on the sideline. Jackson Cantwell led that group with 34 snaps and even helped on a touchdown, while JJ Dunnigan was right behind him with 33 snaps as he rotated through multiple defensive roles.
The larger takeaway for the Hurricanes is less about one deep September rotation and more about how quickly these newcomers are working into real plans on both sides of the ball. Javian Mallory, Gavin Mueller and Vance Spafford all logged playing time too, giving Miami a broader freshman footprint than most teams would dare to trust this early. For a program trying to build depth and keep its best athletes on the field, that kind of immediate contribution is the sort of development that can change the shape of a season. [Read more 🡒]
Darian Mensah Just Entered A Bigger Miami Conversation
Darian Mensahs early-season surge has already pushed him into the center of a much larger Miami conversation. After a dazzling opener that featured 400 passing yards and five touchdowns, his Heisman stock has climbed fast enough to make him the current favorite at FanDuel, and that kind of national traction tends to follow a quarterback straight into every bigger debate about where he stands among the sports top names.
Malachi Toneys breakout has only added to the buzz around the Hurricanes offense. His own odds have risen after he set a Miami single-game receiving yards record, giving the team another player whose start is forcing people to pay attention beyond just the final score. For Miami, the early question is no longer whether the offense can make noise, but how far this kind of start can carry it once the schedule gets real. [Read more 🡒]