Nick Saban has put his stamp on Miami again, and this time he took it all the way to a title.
During Saturday’s College Gameday final segment, each analyst was asked to make a national championship pick. Saban landed on Miami vs.
Texas in the title game, with the Hurricanes winning the whole thing and claiming title No. 6.
That’s a strong vote of confidence from a coach who has built a résumé that carries real weight. Saban won a title at LSU and six more at Alabama, so when he sees championship traits, people tend to listen.
His belief in Miami isn’t exactly new, either. Last year, during the Notre Dame vs.
Miami fight for the final College Football Playoff spot in December, Saban went to bat for the Hurricanes on TV. The committee ultimately gave Miami the bid.
Saban said then that the committee should re-watch the Miami-Notre Dame game and see how much the Hurricanes dominated physically. He also said he saw Miami with a chance to make a run in the playoff if they got in, and that is exactly what happened.
Miami gave another glimpse of that ceiling Friday night with a 45-6 rout of Stanford. Malachi Toney set a record with 234 receiving yards, while Darian Mensah threw for 401 yards. Both players were finished by the third quarter.
Whether Miami can turn Saban’s pick into something real will play out over the coming months, but Mario Cristobal’s team has opened with plenty to like.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Just Made A Huge Uniform Change For The Future
Notre Dame is entering a new commercial era, one that will show up right on the jersey. The school announced a partnership with SoFi that will bring the first-ever Fighting Irish uniform patch beginning in the 2026 season, a notable shift for a program that has long prized its traditional look. Beyond the visual change, the deal is reportedly worth between $18 million and $20 million annually over six years, giving Notre Dame Athletics a major boost at a time when schools are leaning harder than ever on outside revenue.
The agreement is bigger than branding, though, because it also comes with initiatives aimed at supporting student-athletes. Those plans include scholarships, financial education and career development resources, which gives the partnership a broader purpose than simply putting a logo on a jersey. Still, the patch itself will be the most visible reminder of how much the business side of college sports has changed, and Notre Dame will soon be asking fans to get used to a look that would have once seemed almost unthinkable. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Has A Real Concern With Champ Monds Now
Champ Monds senior season has come to an abrupt end, leaving Notre Dame with a real concern around one of its quarterback commitments. The Irish pledge said on Instagram that an unexpected procedure on his non-throwing arm will keep him out for the rest of the year, a frustrating development after a year in which he had hoped to finish strong before arriving in South Bend.
Monds message struck an upbeat note, thanking his current team and saying he is excited about his future at Notre Dame, but the larger picture is harder to ignore. This is the second straight season in which injury has cut his year short, and for a quarterback recruit, repeated interruptions at this stage are never ideal as the next step in his development now waits on the other side of recovery. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Is In The Mix For A Recruit Fans Need To Watch
Grant Bowen has become one of the more intriguing names on Notre Dames recruiting board, and for good reason. The Elmhurst Immaculate Conception standout has piled up more than 30 college offers by showing he can impact a game on both sides of the ball, lining up as a tight end and an edge rusher. His national profile reflects that versatility, too, with 247Sports placing him No. 102 overall and No. 6 in Illinois.
Notre Dame jumped into the picture on Jan. 30, and the Irish have made their interest clear through the offensive staff. For a program that keeps close tabs on Midwest talent and values players who can be molded into multiple roles, Bowen fits the kind of recruit that can stay on the radar for a while. The only real question now is how serious the push becomes as the process unfolds. [Read more 🡒]