(Photo credit: Icon Sportswire)
Last year Miami rolled to a 9-0 start before dropping three of their final four games to finish 10-3. In their last outing, the Hurricanes fell 42-41 to Iowa State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Head coach Mario Cristobal, now in his fourth season, was busy in the offseason rebuilding a roster that lost most of its key offensive skill players from a unit that led the nation in both total offense and scoring offense at 43.9 points per game.
The Hurricanes open 2025 ranked No. 10 in the AP preseason poll. Cristobal brought in 19 transfers, giving Miami the No. 3 rated portal class according to 247Sports. Headlining that group is former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, added as a one-year replacement for Cam Ward, last year’s No. 1 overall NFL draft pick after throwing for 4,300 yards and 39 touchdowns. Notre Dame has never faced Beck, though the Irish coaching staff had prepared for him in advance of last year’s Sugar Bowl matchup with Georgia, a game he missed due to injury.
Miami lost its top five receivers to graduation and rebuilt the room through the portal. Wideout Keelan Marion arrives from BYU after posting 76 catches for 1,125 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2024, and he also brings All-America credentials as a kick returner. Returning sophomore JoJo Trader will contribute and graduate transfer CJ Daniels comes in from LSU. Alex Bauman, who scored 7 touchdowns at Tulane last season, adds a proven target at tight end.
The ground game looks solid behind veterans Mark Fletcher Jr. and Jordan Lyle, who combined for 13 rushing touchdowns last year. Pushing for carries will be North Dakota State transfer Charmer Brown, who erupted for 1,181 yards and 15 scores in 2024.
Defensively, Miami surrendered 25.3 points per game a year ago. To fix that, Cristobal hired new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman from Minnesota. Hetherman brings a track record of building aggressive, disciplined units, and he’ll look to maximize a talented front seven, including disruptive junior defensive tend Rueben Bain and will rely on transfer additions to strengthen the secondary.
Hard Rock Stadium, with a capacity of 65,326, remains one of the most intimidating venues in the ACC. Notre Dame fans know well how hostile it can be — the Irish lost to Miami in 1989 and again in 2017 in atmospheres that were described as vicious by those in attendance. That history serves as a reminder that the Canes’ crowd can still tilt the field.
In 2024, the Hurricanes were an offensive juggernaut and overall an outstanding football team. With experienced returnees and a wave of portal additions, the 2025 roster has the makings of another contender. The biggest question, however, is how quickly this new mix will jell. In that regard, Notre Dame may be catching a break by facing them in Week 1.
Last year the Irish opened at Texas A&M and took care of business. Marcus Freeman seems to know how to prepare his team for hostile environments. With more proven talent across the board, Notre Dame should be able to lean on its physical ground game while letting CJ Carr take some timely shots down the field.
Notre Dame is a 2.5-point favorite and the over/under is 49.5.
The Fighting Irish Preview Pick: Notre Dame 31, Miami 20.