Nick Saban didn’t just make a prediction on Saturday - he put Miami right in the center of the national title conversation.
During a live College GameDay segment from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the former Alabama head coach picked the Hurricanes to beat Texas in the national championship in Las Vegas. The discussion came after the show opened its first road trip of the season and each panelist made a call on who would finish on top. Desmond Howard went with Texas, Pat McAfee chose Indiana to go back-to-back, guest picker Lainey Wilson selected LSU, and Kirk Herbstreit landed on Notre Dame.
Saban’s choice stood out because it backed Miami over the Longhorns, and it came from a coach whose opinion still carries real weight. His pick suggests the Hurricanes are already being viewed as a legitimate title team.
That kind of belief isn’t new from Saban. Before Miami was selected for the College Football Playoff last year, he called the Hurricanes one of the most dangerous team in college football. Miami then lived up to that label by coming within one win of a sixth national title.
The attention makes sense based on what Mario Cristobal has built in Coral Gables, and it was on display in Miami’s season opener. The Hurricanes are 1-0 after a 45-6 win over Stanford on Friday night, a game in which the offense rolled for well over 500 yards behind Darian Mensah.
Miami was not spotless defensively, but it never let Stanford reach the end zone. The Cardinal were held to 214 passing yards and 78 rushing yards.
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 🡒]