What a weekend for Mario Cristobal and the Canes. Miami walked out of Hard Rock Stadium with a 27-24 win in an instant classic over #6 ranked Notre Dame in what is Cristobal’s first top-ten win as head coach of the Hurricanes. In a sold-out, electric atmosphere, the Canes defeated a team that was not only the national championship runner-up but is also expected to be a shoo-in playoff team this year. With a win of this magnitude, it is validation of the process Cristobal has been preaching. Miami looked like an elite team along the lines of scrimmage and dominated the Irish, never trailing once in the game. They looked like a national title-contending team and the best, most complete team in the ACC. Here are the major takeaways from a surreal night:
Rueben Bain Jr. Is the Best Defensive Player in the Nation
Bain was the MVP last night. He was clearly the best player on the field and was wreaking havoc. He was all over the field, applying pressure to the quarterback, making tackles, and coming up with big-time plays. Notre Dame was double- and triple-teaming him, and he was running through linemen as if they were made of paper. It was as if Miami had unleashed prime Reggie White last night. Notre Dame, who had arguably a top-three offensive line in the nation, couldn’t do anything to contain Bain. Speaking of big plays, Bain had two of the most important plays in the fourth quarter: a pivotal interception and return that resulted in a field goal and swung momentum away from Notre Dame, who was threatening to score. Then, on the final drive, it was Bain who got to CJ Carr first and held on for a half-sack (shared with Mesidor) that ended the game. For the game, Bain finished with:
6 tackles
0.5 sacks
0.5 TFL
1 INT
1 PD
He was so good that PFF reported he earned a 93.8 grade, the highest grade ever recorded for a Miami DL since PFF began tracking performance in 2014. A healthy Bain is an All-American and on his way to a top-5 pick in the draft.
Malachi Toney = Baby Jesus
Toney didn’t just look good last night, he looked generational. Not only did he earn the start over Ray Ray Joseph and Toney Johnson, but he was the best wide receiver on the field as a true freshman who is ONLY 17 years old and making his first-ever career collegiate start. That’s right: Toney should be starting his senior year of high school, but he reclassified and was Beck’s most reliable target, not only scoring the game’s first touchdown but also consistently getting open and making huge third-down catches that kept the chains moving. This kid is legit, and Miami has a superstar wide receiver in the making.
Corey Weatherman’s Defense Was Swarming
Notre Dame came into the game with a Heisman candidate at running back in Jeremiyah Love. Love was shut down last night with 10 rushes for 33 yards, and Jadarian Price had 6 carries for 45 yards. In fact, Miami allowed just 94 total rushing yards. For context, Love averaged more than 150 per game last year by himself. Miami allowed 315 yards overall. The defensive line was especially stout, with Justin Scott, David Blay, and Mesidor having big-time games. Raul Aguirre and the linebackers were beasts for Miami as well, with six tackles, and for the most part, the defense played clean, mistake-free football.
ACC Refs Are Pathetic
The performance by the refs last night is worthy of an investigation. There were at least three instances where Irish corners were grabbing Malachi Toney—straight up tackling him—and Miami did not earn a pass interference call. In the fourth quarter, the refs engineered a drive for the Irish, calling holding and phantom penalties on Miami that allowed Notre Dame to get a free 7 points, making it 21-14 when the game should have been over. A notable sequence in the fourth quarter came when a holding call was flagged on Miami’s offensive line and a blatant no-call on PI against Notre Dame, who mauled Toney. Miami not only beat the Irish last night, but they also beat the refs.
CJ Carr Was Better Than Expected
Despite the refs engineering drives for the Irish, I was impressed with CJ Carr. The crowd at Hard Rock was electric, and the defensive front he faced might be the best he’ll see all season, yet he played a gutsy game—making key plays and identifying the few mistakes Miami made, especially on that first touchdown with broken coverage in the end zone. Carr was impressive with both his arm and his legs in key moments and showed big-time poise in the fourth quarter, almost pulling out the win in a very hostile environment against a veteran defense stacked with NFL and future NFL players. In all, he finished with 221 yards and accounted for three total touchdowns, including a rushing score, while completing 63% of his passes. I’m glad we saw him in game one.
Carson Beck Was Great
Beck was calm, cool, and collected. He played mistake-free football and engineered scoring drives when Miami needed them the most. His touchdown pass to CJ Daniels might be the play of the season, perfectly placed where only Daniels could make a play. When Notre Dame tied it at 24, Beck told his teammates they were going to score and win the game—and he did just that. A big-time player who has seen a ton of college ball and been in high-pressure games is exactly what Miami needed to settle down and finish the job. Miami doesn’t win this game without the leadership of Carson Beck.
What About the Rest of College Football?
Arch Manning Got Exposed
Manning looked lost against Ohio State. He was inaccurate, scared to throw, and downright bad. Texas wins this game going away if Ewers was their QB, and Manning was not even decent. He had a solid fourth quarter statistically but was ultimately inconsequential. Texas came in as the #1 ranked team but might not even be a top-20 team if Manning doesn’t improve significantly.
Bama’s Downfall Is Real
When Alabama hired Kalen DeBoer, I thought the Bama dynasty was about to go to another level. After all, he had won big at every level, including leading Washington to the national championship. What could he do with Bama’s talent? Well, it has been a disaster. That disaster was never more apparent than when unranked FSU boat-raced them 31-17. FSU didn’t just win; they dominated Bama in all phases of the game. This was the same FSU that won two games last year. Granted, FSU was bound to improve, but Bama does not look like a top-25 team. Tuscaloosa is melting down, and DeBoer, who is the second-highest-paid head coach with a $10.87 million yearly salary, is already on the hot seat. He has a $70+ million buyout. DeBoer is now 5-5 in his last 10 games at Bama and has 4 unranked losses in 14 games—something it took Nick Saban 230 games to accomplish. Now that everyone can pay players, Bama’s advantage has dissipated. Here’s what I wrote in 2024 when Saban retired:
“As more teams began to emulate the Alabama model of a ‘pro team’ investment and as the money pumped into college football continued to increase, the last natural step was compensation for the players and a form of free agency. When the advantage was lost and college football began to mirror the NFL, Nick Saban decided to retire.”
LSU Looks Like a National Title Contender
They went into Death Valley and beat #4 Clemson 17-10. Brian Kelly finally won a big-time opener, and LSU’s defense looked elite. Harold Perkins was a monster with 5 tackles, 1 sack, and 1.5 TFL. Meanwhile, Garrett Nussmeier was steady and mistake-free, throwing for 230 yards and a touchdown with zero interceptions. The same cannot be said for Cade Klubnik, who didn’t throw a touchdown, tossed a pick, and did not look like a top quarterback. LSU’s swarming defense had a lot to do with this, but it’s clear Klubnik is not an elite QB. Despite Clemson’s defense looking legit, if Klubnik continues to struggle, Clemson will not be a national championship contender.
The Downfall of SEC Dominance?
We already mentioned Bama’s downfall being directly tied to NIL. But it’s not just Bama—there are signs SEC teams in general are starting to struggle in the NIL/transfer portal era. It was the ACC, not the SEC, that dominated opening week. If there was ever a graphic to show how times are changing, it’s this one:
Lee Corso’s Legendary Career Ends In Perfection
Corso is a legend. He joined College Gameday in 1987 in it’s inaugural year. This was his last Gameday and he ended it with a perfect 6-0 record. He went 8-2 for his career when picking he Canes. Thnaks for the Memories and enjoy retirement!
What was clear from Week One is that the path to the National Championship is wide open. Teams like Miami, LSU, Georgia, and Oregon are all legit contenders. FSU looks much improved, while Bama looks like it’s about to fall off a very tall cliff. Texas had all the hype but looks underwhelming and will struggle to make the playoffs if Arch Manning continues to play like a deer in headlights. There is no clear-cut dominant team monopolizing talent. NIL has evened the playing field, and this bodes well for the Canes, who have elite lines and one of the most experienced, talented quarterbacks in the nation.
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