Greg McElroy has been breaking down 2026 title contenders on his show Always College Football, and last episode he focused on the Miami Hurricanes. A transcript of the discussion is below:
Greg McElroy:
Today we’re adding another heavyweight to our Contender Series, and that team is the Miami Hurricanes. So let’s close our eyes and go back just a couple of weeks. Hard Rock Stadium. The air is thick, the crowd is deafening, and Mario Cristobal is standing on the sideline of the National Championship game.
Miami’s down six. They’ve got the ball. There’s just over a minute left. Carson Beck drops back, lets it rip to the left side—and it’s intercepted. Just like that, the dream of a sixth national championship dies in the shadow of their home venue.
But here’s the thing about Mario Cristobal: this isn’t a program that walks away saying, “Close enough.” They’re not treating this as a moral victory. They’re looking at it and saying, we’re close—and we can do more.
Last season was about grit. It was about defense, trench play, a veteran quarterback, and a punishing run game. But the story of 2026 is evolution. This team may look different. It may be forced to win games with offensive firepower instead of simply wearing people down.
That starts at quarterback. Carson Beck was the bridge—the veteran, the adult in the room. When he left, Miami had a real void. And they filled it by going all-in on Darian Mensah.
If you weren’t watching Duke closely last year, you missed something special. Mensah threw for nearly 4,000 yards, accounted for 34 touchdowns, and led the Blue Devils to the ACC Championship Game. When he hit the portal, Miami didn’t hesitate. They needed him—and he’s probably worth every penny.
Mensah is a blend of what Miami’s had recently. He’s more dynamic than Carson Beck, but more structured than Cam Ward. If Beck lives on one end of the spectrum and Ward on the other, Mensah sits somewhere in between—three-quarters of the way toward Beck, but with real mobility. He moves well in the pocket, makes pass rushers miss subtly, and in Shannon Dawson’s Air Raid system, it’s a clean marriage.
He’s a preseason Heisman sleeper, and honestly, he’s the reason Miami fans aren’t just hopeful—they’re expectant.
But this offense isn’t abandoning its identity. You still need a hammer. And Miami has one in Mark Fletcher, a 225-pound force who chose to put the NFL Draft on hold. In the playoff run alone, Fletcher went for over 500 yards in four games, averaging nearly seven yards a carry against elite defenses.
If defenses drop seven to stop the deep ball, Fletcher will run right through the middle of them. He’s the physical counterpunch that makes this offense work.
And then you get to the weapons outside.
Mensah didn’t come alone—he brought Cooper Barkate with him from Duke. Barkate went for over 1,000 yards last season, and that existing chemistry matters. Pair him with Malachi Toney, who led the country in catches, and suddenly every defensive coordinator has a math problem.
Double Toney? Barkate beats you. Roll coverage to Barkate? Fletcher gashed you for 15. Pick your poison—none of the choices are good.
Now, there are real questions. Miami loses serious production in the trenches—Rueben Bain, Akheem Mesidor, Francis Mauigoa. You don’t just replace first-rounders casually. That’s reality.
But this is where Cristobal’s DNA shows up. You bring in Damon Wilson. You reload with five-star depth. Is the floor a little lower? Maybe. But the ceiling is still extremely high because of the way this roster has been built over multiple cycles.
Schedule-wise, Miami opens with an unusual stretch—Friday and Thursday games early—but the date everyone has circled is November 7th at Notre Dame. That game could define the season. If Mensah wins in South Bend, with the wind and playoff stakes involved, we may be talking about him seriously in the Heisman race.
So what are the 2026 Hurricanes?
They’re a team that’s tasted the summit and wants back. They’ve got one of the most dynamic QB-RB-WR trios in the country. They’ve got a coach who has proven he can win big games. And while the national consensus has them anywhere from six to thirteen, I’ll say this: at +800 or +900, that’s real value.
They have the talent. They have a chip on their shoulder. And the U on the helmet? It’s back in a big way—and that swagger still means something.
Greg McElroy:
Today we’re adding another heavyweight to our Contender Series, and that team is the Miami Hurricanes. So let’s close our eyes and go back just a couple of weeks. Hard Rock Stadium. The air is thick, the crowd is deafening, and Mario Cristobal is standing on the sideline of the National Championship game.
Miami’s down six. They’ve got the ball. There’s just over a minute left. Carson Beck drops back, lets it rip to the left side—and it’s intercepted. Just like that, the dream of a sixth national championship dies in the shadow of their home venue.
But here’s the thing about Mario Cristobal: this isn’t a program that walks away saying, “Close enough.” They’re not treating this as a moral victory. They’re looking at it and saying, we’re close—and we can do more.
Last season was about grit. It was about defense, trench play, a veteran quarterback, and a punishing run game. But the story of 2026 is evolution. This team may look different. It may be forced to win games with offensive firepower instead of simply wearing people down.
That starts at quarterback. Carson Beck was the bridge—the veteran, the adult in the room. When he left, Miami had a real void. And they filled it by going all-in on Darian Mensah.
If you weren’t watching Duke closely last year, you missed something special. Mensah threw for nearly 4,000 yards, accounted for 34 touchdowns, and led the Blue Devils to the ACC Championship Game. When he hit the portal, Miami didn’t hesitate. They needed him—and he’s probably worth every penny.
Mensah is a blend of what Miami’s had recently. He’s more dynamic than Carson Beck, but more structured than Cam Ward. If Beck lives on one end of the spectrum and Ward on the other, Mensah sits somewhere in between—three-quarters of the way toward Beck, but with real mobility. He moves well in the pocket, makes pass rushers miss subtly, and in Shannon Dawson’s Air Raid system, it’s a clean marriage.
He’s a preseason Heisman sleeper, and honestly, he’s the reason Miami fans aren’t just hopeful—they’re expectant.
But this offense isn’t abandoning its identity. You still need a hammer. And Miami has one in Mark Fletcher, a 225-pound force who chose to put the NFL Draft on hold. In the playoff run alone, Fletcher went for over 500 yards in four games, averaging nearly seven yards a carry against elite defenses.
If defenses drop seven to stop the deep ball, Fletcher will run right through the middle of them. He’s the physical counterpunch that makes this offense work.
And then you get to the weapons outside.
Mensah didn’t come alone—he brought Cooper Barkate with him from Duke. Barkate went for over 1,000 yards last season, and that existing chemistry matters. Pair him with Malachi Toney, who led the country in catches, and suddenly every defensive coordinator has a math problem.
Double Toney? Barkate beats you. Roll coverage to Barkate? Fletcher gashed you for 15. Pick your poison—none of the choices are good.
Now, there are real questions. Miami loses serious production in the trenches—Rueben Bain, Akheem Mesidor, Francis Mauigoa. You don’t just replace first-rounders casually. That’s reality.
But this is where Cristobal’s DNA shows up. You bring in Damon Wilson. You reload with five-star depth. Is the floor a little lower? Maybe. But the ceiling is still extremely high because of the way this roster has been built over multiple cycles.
Schedule-wise, Miami opens with an unusual stretch—Friday and Thursday games early—but the date everyone has circled is November 7th at Notre Dame. That game could define the season. If Mensah wins in South Bend, with the wind and playoff stakes involved, we may be talking about him seriously in the Heisman race.
So what are the 2026 Hurricanes?
They’re a team that’s tasted the summit and wants back. They’ve got one of the most dynamic QB-RB-WR trios in the country. They’ve got a coach who has proven he can win big games. And while the national consensus has them anywhere from six to thirteen, I’ll say this: at +800 or +900, that’s real value.
They have the talent. They have a chip on their shoulder. And the U on the helmet? It’s back in a big way—and that swagger still means something.
