As the first week of college football is finally upon us, the hunt for the National Championship is here. Come Saturday, it’ll have been 222 days since the Ohio State Buckeyes cemented their names in history; to say the least, it has been way too long without some Saturday mayhem. As the transfer portal, NIL, playoff, conference realignment, and the college sports landscape keep evolving, this season has been set up to be like no other.
The schedules have given us an absolutely loaded week one. I’ll be taking an in-depth look into the three biggest games of the week, and maybe of the year, plus an underrated matchup that I think is going to be electric. To cap it off, I’ll be making a final score prediction and keys for victory for each game. With no further ado, I’ll kickoff with what might just be the biggest game of the year.
Texas (1) @ Ohio State (3) (MUST WATCH OF THE WEEK)
There aren’t enough words to describe the spectacle that this matchup is. The No.1 team in the nation, the Texas Longhorns, are going to The Shoe to take on the reigning national champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes. For now, ignore the rosters and the rankings because a lot will be said about them later; this game already has enough of a history and storyline written for it. Just seven months ago, these two teams matched up at the Cotton Bowl with a trip to the National Championship on the line, ending with the Buckeyes winning in stunning fashion en route to winning it all. Now, with new faces scattered about both rosters (headlined by two new superstars at quarterback), fate has led these giants to meet once again. Revenge. Pride. No. 1. All is on the line with all eyes watching.
Texas
The Backfield
Texas just happens to have one of the most anticipated quarterbacks in the history of college football. For two years now, everyone and their mother has been clamoring to see Manning play; many claim that one of the best recruits of all time doesn’t know how to throw the football, while others claim that he is already better than his uncles (some guys named Payton and Eli). Two things are sure though. One, he falls somewhere in the middle of those. Two, the talk around Manning is filled with too many assumptions and straight guesses to be valid in any way. So quickly moving on from a topic that has been well drawn out, Manning will be next to RB Quintrevion Wisner. He went for 1,375 scrimmage yards, making him Texas’ highest returning producer and the nation’s sixth-highest returning producer. He’s likely going to be the best running back in the SEC, and he may be Texas’ best player on offense going into the season.
A Shaky Offensive Line
OG DJ Campbell is the most experienced offensive player on the team; this will be especially important for the offensive line, as he is the only returner from last season. They were stacked with talent, sending all four of their remaining starters to the NFL. Considering the part they played in their run to the Cotton Bowl, you have got to have your doubts on if this new line will be able to match last year’s production. Almost all of the lineman that moved up took the starting position uncontested, which led to a slow start during training camp. Reports say that they struggled to hold their own against their monster defensive line, which will be true for almost every offensive-line in the nation, but it’s worrisome.
Defensive Star Power
Texas is about to have a monster season on the defensive side of the ball. They’re led by LB Anthony Hill Jr., who was recently named the best defensive player in the nation by ESPN, and deservedly so. He led the SEC in TFL (17) and fumbles forced (4), falling just short of the Consensus All-America Team. Hill will be surrounded by LBs Liona Lefau and Trey Moore, completing a linebacker room that remains unchanged from last season. In front of them is the Freshman of the Year winner EDGE Colin Simmons. Everybody in the nation knows that he is an animal; his nine sacks led the team and was the third-most all-time by a freshman, he had 14 TFL, and he forced three fumbles. Up the field, remnants of the secondary that led the nation in interceptions still remain. S Michael Taaffe and CB Malik Muhammed are the stars of the show, as Taaffe comes off of a Consensus All-America Second Team. Whether or not they’ll be able to lead this secondary to replicating the whopping 22 interceptions that were hauled in last season is up in the air, but it’s a sure thing that every QB they face will have plenty of problems to deal with.
Ohio State
Julian Sayin
QB Julian Sayin was recently named the starter, and his inexperience is not talked about nearly enough. He’s a redshirt freshman, and we haven’t really ever seen him play, past a few blowouts where he checked in momentarily. Just a year ago, he was the 20th best recruit in the nation, and now he has the duty of protecting the national championship. OSU’s camp says he’s ready, proven by their declaration of him as the starter, but his competition was not very strong, and it’s got to make you wonder what took them so long to make the decision. And this isn’t to say that Sayin isn’t good — he’s still a five star QB who got to develop under the longest championship run ever — but it is hard for me to put my full trust in him.
Heavy Weaponry
Nevertheless, it is Ohio State, meaning that he’ll be surrounded by the most heavy weaponry that the nation has to offer. WR Jeremiah Smith. Enough said there. WR Carnell Tate is stepping up to WR2, filling in the veteran role that Emeka Egbuka left. Coming off of steady improvement and constant rises in production, Tate is expected to take a leap into stardom just as all of the Buckeye greats before him did. The most gaping hole in the offense was left by their star running back duo, Quinshon Judkins and Treveyon Henderson. RB James Peoples and transfer RB CJ Donaldson have got large shoes to fill, and it’s likely they won’t immediately be able to. However, Peoples is still booming with potential, and as Donaldson comes off of a 734 yard season at West Virginia, it’s hard to doubt that he can’t produce over 1000 yards in OSU’s offense. The most interesting piece of the puzzle is TE Max Klare, the No. 1 TE and No. 17 overall player from the transfer portal. He managed to go for 685 receiving yards at Purdue and is set up for a monster junior year on the Buckeyes. Clearly, this isn’t the same offense as last year, but they might not have to be.
New Look Defense
Ohio State’s offseason was filled with much more drama than it should’ve been after Penn State swiped Jim Knowles away for the low price of $3 million. Well, Knowles’ departure may be a blessing in disguise, as OSU has begun a new experiment; their new defensive coordinator is Matt Patricia, former Detroit Lions head coach and Super Bowl-winning defensive play caller for the New England Patriots. It might be sheer genius or it might be absolute stupidity. Either way, the Buckeye defense has the clear advantage of mystery heading into the season. The Buckeyes had the most players drafted in 2025 with 14, which included their entire starting defense except for three players. One of which being SAF Caleb Downs, arguably the best player in the nation, who led OSU to being #1 in total yards allowed. He’s making space for new stars that have been loading up for years like EDGE Kenyatta Jackson Jr, who’s been developing behind JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer. He, along with DT Kayden McDonald, is one of the top breakout candidates of the year. Things are going to look very different for this defense looks-wise, but the production has the potential to be all the same and more; especially with
The Matchup
It’s two stifling defenses headed by the best players in the nation. It’s two explosive offenses headed by new quarterbacks bursting with potential. Both teams though, are looking completely new, so it’s a struggle to look at past season’s stats to project strengths and weaknesses in these two teams. So rather than looking at what happened last season, what are these two teams missing compared to last year?
Perhaps the top trait of Ohio State’s championship team was their run defense, which finished third in the nation in opponent rushing yards per game (87.6); they held Texas to just 58. This offseason, the Buckeyes lost out on almost their entire front seven. Though Sonny Styles is holding it down and they have some superstars in the chamber, it’s going to be very difficult for them to bring the same prowess this season. Luckily for them, Texas is facing a similar story on their offensive line, which had three of their starters drafted. The game may come down to who is more prepared for the lights between OSU’s defensive line and UT’s offensive line.
Or maybe, it comes down to the superstars. Eleven of ESPN’s top 100 players will be in the game, including the entire top three. Perhaps the key is Jeremiah Smith’s ability to gain separation, and though the one game where that was actually stifled was against Texas, OSU’s new offensive coordinator is also Smith’s receiver coach (meaning that #4 will be getting open). Perhaps the key is Anthony Hill Jr’s ability to be everywhere on the field. Perhaps the key is Caleb Downs’ ability to read plays from across the field. Perhaps the key is Colin Simmon’s ability to tear a game open with his monstrous rushes.
No matter which way you look at it, a prediction on this game has no good answer. When it comes to two squads absent of deep experience, I’m going to draw it down to whatever team has more experience. And somehow, in his first game as the full-time starter, Arch Manning outclasses his opponent in experience. And Texas having their entire linebacker room returning looks very good when looking across at Ohio State’s one player returning from their front seven. And perhaps the most important experience difference lies in the coordinators; for Ohio State, this will be OC Brian Hartline’s and DC Matt Patricia’s first game in their roles, while for Texas, OC Kyle Flood just sent six players to the NFL and DC Pete Kwiatkowski was a finalist in 2024 for the Broyles Award. I’ll take Texas, and I’m not confident, especially in The Shoe.
Texas’ Yi Key for Victory: Overwhelm RS freshman Julian Sayin not just with pressure, but by (more importantly) cutting off Jeremiah Smith.
Ohio State’s Yi Key for Victory: The defensive line must wreak havoc. Matt Patricia better have some tricks up his sleeve to make it happen.
Prediction: Texas 34, Ohio State 27
LSU (9) @ Clemson (4)
Tigers vs Tigers. A battle for the title of Death Valley. The No. 9 LSU Tigers will be leaving Tiger Stadium, otherwise known as “Death Valley,” to battle the No. 4 Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium, also known as ‘Death Valley’. And they both happen to have the two Heisman favorites at quarterback (ignoring the Arch Manning hype). Past the matchup storyline though, each team is developing a bit of a history when it comes to week one. Last year in week one, Clemson faced another SEC giant, Georgia, and got smacked 3-34. The year before that, they were upset 7-28 on the road at Duke. Meanwhile, LSU has been upset five week ones in a row, dating back to Sept. 26, 2020, when Mississippi State (who ended up winning a total of four games that season) knocked them off of No. 6. Both teams have a terrible history, but Saturday’s heavyweight duel has the chance to wipe away all the pain.
Clemson
Cade Klubnik
QB Cade Klubnik may be the best quarterback in the nation. Of all returning players, he was fourth in passing yards (3,639), first in passing touchdowns (36), and first in total yards (4,102). On top of all of this, he’s an incredible dual-threat quarterback, rushing for seven last season. Despite his ability to fill the stat sheet everywhere, what is most impressive is actually what he didn’t do. Klubnik threw for just six interceptions, an absurdly low number considering his 486 attempts (fourth highest in the nation). This gave him a 6:1 TD/INT ratio, one of the best of all-time. However, Klubnik did not finish in the top 10 of the Heisman race, and he’s got to have a chip on his shoulder.
Returning Offense
The offense is returning eight starters, tied for second-most in Power Four. This includes their entire wide receiver corps, headlined by All-ACC first team honoree Antonio Williams. His 11 receiving touchdowns was the most in the ACC, leading Clemson to third nationally in receiving touchdowns per game. They’re also bringing back most of their offensive line, which was just above average last season, allowing the fifth-least sacks in the ACC; they’re bound for improvement. The ACC committee seems to think so too, as OT Blake Miller, OG Walker Parks, and C Ryan Linthicum were all named to the All-ACC preseason team. It seems that Swinney’s loyalty to his players is paying off with their loyalty back to him.
Returning Defense
Five of Clemson’s defensive starters were selected to the All-ACC preseason team. The main event is the best left side of the defensive line in the nation: EDGE T.J. Parker and DT Peter Woods. They are an unreal duo. Last season, Parker set the school record in forced fumbles (6), was fifth in the nation in solo sacks (11), and third in the nation in solo tackles for loss (17), earning himself an All-ACC Second Team selection. Meanwhile, Peter Woods was just named the third best player in the nation by PFF and the ninth best player in the nation by ESPN, firmly grasping the title of best run-stopper in the nation. Behind them are two more All-ACC Preseason Team honorees, LBs Wade Woodaz and Sammy Brown. Woodaz led the team in tackles (in two less games), while Sammy Brown (as a true freshman) led the team in tackles in five of their last six games to earn himself the ACC Defensive Rookie of The Year. Finally, behind them is CB Avieon Terrell, who was an absolute machine in the secondary, putting up 13 pass breakups, two interceptions, three forced fumbles, and five tackles for loss. This defense is filled with playmakers, and have a good argument for best in the nation.
LSU
Garrett Nussmeier
QB Garrett Nussmeier may be the best quarterback in the nation. Nationally, he was first in passing yards (4,052), third in passing touchdowns (29), and third in total yards (4,014). Nussmeier is just the fourth QB in SEC history, and first in LSU history, to return after throwing for 4,000+ yards. When he’s on, he undeniably has the best arm talent in the nation, contributing to many naming him the best overall quarterback in the nation. However, he struggled with consistency; in the Tigers’ three-game losing streak last season, Nussmeier threw five interceptions to just four touchdowns. It’s clear that the Tigers’ national championship hopes are reliant on his play, but based on the fact that he’s a second-year starter who has taken leaps of improvement every season, it makes perfect sense to think that he will lead LSU deep.
The #1 Transfer Portal Class
LSU had the best transfer portal in the nation, investing heavily to replace the 15 starters that they lost. Their offensive line was the most urgent issue, as all four starters that left were drafted to the NFL. The Tigers managed to land Northwestern transfer Josh Thompson and Virginia Tech transfer Braelin Moore, the second and fourth best IOLs in the transfer portal. Then at WR, they picked up Nic Anderson, the third best WR in the transfer portal, who put up 798 yards as a redshirt freshman. However, defense is where LSU truly went all in. With just three returning starters, the Tigers knew that they could not afford to wait, especially when faced with replacing NFL draft pick EDGEs Sai’vion Jones and Bradyn Swinson. That’s why they completely poached the market and picked up the No. 2, No. 14, and No. 19 best EDGEs in the portal. Then they filled up their secondary with the No. 3 and No. 4 best SAFs and No. 15 and No. 16 best CBs in the portal. They cleaned up by getting DT Bernard Gooden, the No. 4 DT in the portal, and their defense is looking stacked from top-to-bottom.
Returning Stars
They have a loaded receiver room (per usual) led by junior Aaron Anderson. His 884 yards last season led the team and puts him at second in the SEC out of returning players. He’s going to be one of the best receivers in the nation. LB Harold Perkins Jr is one of the most versatile linebackers in football, slotting himself in at No. 43 on ESPN’s top 100 players list despite being sidelined from injury for the majority of last season due to a torn ACL. Then there’s Whit Weeks, who stepped up big last season in the wake of Perkins’ injury. He led the SEC in solo tackles with 61, making him one of the most productive linebackers in the nation. Returning to the secondary are CB Ashton Stamps, who led the SEC in passes deflected, and S Jardin Gilber, who led the secondary with 55 tackles. Overall, this defense is looking to improve upon its mediocrity from last season.
The Matchup
It may just come down to a shootout between these two quarterbacks. I think that these are the two best QBs in the nation, and they both have the weaponry to play like it on Saturday. It’s also convenient that neither of these teams were particularly spectacular in the passing defense last season. Clemson was third in the ACC and LSU was 10th in the SEC (but they were only separated by 11 yards). So, expect a high-scoring affair with plenty of big plays. How could you not be excited?
However, it’s clear that Clemson will outclass LSU on defense. Clemson’s front seven may be the best in the nation, and they have the clear advantage of already having a ton of playing time with each other. LSU, though stacked with experience, doesn’t have as much experience playing with each other. It doesn’t help that their first game together will be in one of the most hostile environments in the nation.
Although both teams are two of the best on paper, Clemson is really separating itself into the national championship favorite tier this season. They’ve patched all of their holes, have an absurd amount of returning starters, and are filled with superstar power. If this game was in Baton Rouge, maybe my opinion would be different, but Clemson is clearly the more talented team. I think this game is going to be more one-sided than most think.
LSU’s Yi Key for Victory: Garrett Nussmeier can not throw an interception.
Clemson’s Yi Key for Victory: Let the front seven eat up their new offensive line.
Prediction: LSU 24, Clemson 42
Utah @ UCLA (SLEEPER OF THE WEEK)
I’m in love with this matchup, and not just because it’s reminiscent of the classic Pac-12. These are two teams ready to turn their program around forever. Utah hasn’t won a bowl game in seven years, and UCLA has won just one in the past nine years. Headed by two new hot transfers at quarterback, it’s the Big 12’s Utah Utes, heading back to the Rose Bowl to take on the Big Ten’s UCLA Bruins.
Utah
The Run Game
The Utes have had six different quarterbacks throw at least 30 passes in the past two years. After a 13-12 record over the tenure, they think they’ve finally found their guy. QB Devon Dampier is coming in from New Mexico as perhaps the best dual-threat quarterback in the nation. Nationally, he was second in the nation in yards per rush (7.5), ninth in rushing touchdowns (19), eleventh in total yards (3,934), and first in sacks taken (5). Now, considering his 1:1 TD/INT ratio, his arm talent is very questionable, but it’s a sure thing that the run game will be on fire, especially after bringing in Jason Beck, Dampier’s former offensive coordinator at New Mexico. Dampier is also joined by Washington State transfer RB Wayshawn Parker. He was the No. 4 RB in the transfer portal after rushing for 735 yards as a true freshman (he won Pac-12 Freshman of the Year). Most crucial to his fit in Utah, he’s used to playing alongside a dual-threat QB after his time with QB John Mateer. Dampier and Parker should create an electric combo that have a good chance at combining for over 2,000 yards.
A Superstar Offensive Line
This might be the best offensive line in all of college football. All five of their starters are returning — an amazing feat considering that they had four different quarterbacks last season. OT Spencer Fano is clearly the number one offensive tackle in the nation (sorry to Kadyn Proctor); he’s the best run-blocker and earned himself a spot on the Walter Camp Preseason All-American First Team. If the 2026 NFL Draft were to happen right now, Fano would have a real argument of going first overall. Meanwhile, OT Caleb Lomu would be selected not too far after. He’s another first-round pick, separating himself as one of the best pass-blockers in the country. Moving inside, OG Tanoa Togiai was graded third among all Power Four guards. As a redshirt senior, he’ll be one of the most experienced guys on the field. Considering Dampier’s elusiveness, it isn’t crazy for Utah to have the goal of not letting up a single sack all season long.
The Secondary
The Utes have had 18 DBs drafted since 2001, quietly becoming one of the top programs in the nation for producing talent in the secondary. This season, they’re expected to do the same. SAF Tao Johnson led Utah to having the 39th best passing defense in the nation last season, putting up the second most tackles on the team (70) and earning second round pick projections for 2026. CB Smith Snowden is also projected to be drafted, currently slotted in at No. 98 on PFF’s NFL Draft Big Board. Their homerun in the transfer portal (alongside Wayshawn Parker) was CB Blake Cotton. Cotton was one of FCS’s best cornerbacks at UC Davis, and now he steps up to Utah to create a very solid DB room. This secondary is going to lead the defense, alongside star LB Lander Barton, setting up big expectations for Utah.
UCLA
The Drama of the Offseason
In an offseason full of playoff changes, conference realignment, and plenty of paperwork in D.C., perhaps the most drama-filled story came when star QB Nico Iamaleava left Tennessee over, seemingly, a paycheck. Now, he’s at a much less prestigious program under the bright lights of Los Angeles, just about 30 minutes away from where he went to high school. Heading into last season, Iamaleava was the hottest QB in the nation; he had just put up four touchdowns in the Citrus Bowl, raising expectations for his redshirt freshman season — his first year as a starter. Well, he was underwhelming, especially against top teams like Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State. In his four games against those powerhouses, he averaged 158.5 passing yards, a 54.7% completion percentage, and threw a total one touchdown to two interceptions; yikes. To be fair, considering he was a redshirt freshman, finishing in the middle of the SEC pack in just about every QB stat is pretty impressive; he’s still an extremely talented player that only ended up throwing five picks the entire year. Now, at UCLA, his schedule has gotten slightly easier and his team has gotten a lot worse, but Iamaleava has the opportunity to prove his worth and silence a sea of doubt this season. I firmly believe that he will.
Fixing the Run Game
Just a year ago, UCLA made another bold pickup when they hired former All-American running back Deshaun Foster. Ironically, under Foster’s first year at head coach, the Bruins were the third worst running team in the entire nation. To mend this, they brought in the #13 RB in the transfer portal, California transfer Jaivian Thomas. Thomas was 26th in the nation in yards per attempt (6.3) and had seven touchdowns in just 100 rushes. They also brought in new forces on the offensive line. OT Courtland Ford started at Kentucky and makes his way back to Los Angeles after originally committing to USC out of high school. Then there’s OG Julian Armella, one of the most interesting players from the Bruins’ transfer class. He’s a former four-star recruit coming in from Florida State, where he spent most of his time on one of the best special teams units in the nation. The most clear tell that UCLA is trying to address their running problem was in their hiring of OC Tino Sunseri, who was the co-offensive coordinator for Indiana’s 2.8 rushing touchdowns per game last season (ninth in the nation). For UCLA’s sake, and really Coach Foster’s sake, hopefully the effort pay off.
Defensive Woes
Last season, the Bruins had the nation’s leader in solo tackles, LB Carson Schwesinger. He was next to LBs Oluwafemi Oladejo and Kain Medrano; all three were drafted to the NFL. This leaves an absolute crater in the middle of UCLA’s defense. In fact, there are only two returning starters: EDGE Devin Aupiu and DT Siale Taupaki. These two are pretty good, and were prominent figures in UCLA’s run defense that finished sixth in the nation last year. Other than that though, it’s looking rough. For the linebackers, the Bruins have decided to stick with their own guys, redshirt junior Jalen Woods and redshirt senior JonJon Vaughns, and I don’t think anybody is expecting them to get close to the production of last year’s linebacker unit. Inversely, the entire starting secondary (except SAF Croix Stewart) is coming in from the transfer portal. After being the second worst passing defense in the Big Ten, a complete revamp was much needed, and it seems that it has gone well through training camp. Still, last year’s defense was generally unremarkabale, and they’ve only gotten worse.
The Matchup
It’s clear who the better team is on paper. However, UCLA matches up quite well here. With a top offensive line, Utah will clearly strive in the run game this season. The Bruins were the sixth best run defense in the nation last year, and though they don’t hold the same talent, they hold the same scheme with defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe. Their most impressive performance of the season was holding the Big Ten’s best running back, Kaleb Johnson, to just 49 yards (his second worst performance of the season) in a win against Iowa.
It also helps that UCLA went 5-1 when they held their opponent to a completion percentage of less than 66.7% — a mark that Dampier only surpassed three times last season. Again, this isn’t near the same defense as last year talent-wise, but it is the same scheme and preparation. With Dampier and Beck together, the Bruins should know exactly what to expect from Utah. Now, the Utes should also be ready for UCLA, especially in a place that they are all too familiar with, but Iamaleava really throws a wrench into things for them. Nobody has any idea what to expect from Iamaleava’s first start in blue, but with his SEC background, he has had plenty of time to prepare for whatever Utah’s secondary may bring.
This matchup is a perfect recipe for chaos. As Utah is currently a top three favorite to win the Big 12 and UCLA is a bottom five team to win the Big Ten, an upset like this could really shake the opinions on both of these teams for the rest of the season. This would be Utah’s fourth straight loss at the Rose Bowl, dating back to Jan. 1, 2022, when they lost an instant classic 45-48 to Ohio State. More importantly to the Bruins, it would be the biggest win of Coach Foster’s short career.
Utah’s Yi Key for Victory: Let the offensive line outwork and outclass them.
UCLA’s Yi Key for Victory: Nico Iamaleava.
Prediction: Utah 20, UCLA 24
Notre Dame (6) @ Miami (10)
It’ll be 2,845 days since these two giants last played; their last matchup was in 2017, when No. 7 Miami absolutely killed No. 3 Notre Dame 41-8 at Hard Rock Stadium. Since then, both programs have completely changed in feel and composition, but they’re all the same in being absolute powerhouses. It’s the national runner-up No.6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish heading down for a classic matchup against the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes.
Notre Dame
A Lopsided Backfield
Add Notre Dame to the way-too-long list of top programs with a redshirt freshman starting at quarterback. QB CJ Carr was the No. 6 high school quarterback in the nation in 2024, and now he is the starting quarterback for the No. 6 college team in the nation in 2025. I can’t help but think that is insane and that he is likely unprepared, especially after the lukewarm reports from training camp. Now, Notre Dame fans are very excited about Carr, and from how good he was in high school, they have plenty of reason to be, but he’s going to need a lot of help from his supporting cast. Thankfully for him, he has the best running back room in the nation. RB Jeremiyah Love has the experience and history of showing up to big games. Whether it was his 98-yard touchdown to kick off Notre Dame’s playoff run or his – yard touchdown to reset the tone in a dog fight against Penn State in the semifinals, Love is the nation’s ultimate competitor, earning himself fifth place on ESPN’s top 100 player list. Now that Love is fully healthy, he’s brewing up a Heisman campaign that has sky-high potential. ND is going to need Love to be the most reliable player in the nation, especially with Carr still learning in the backfield.
A Stacked Offense
Just about everywhere you look on offense but quarterback, Notre Dame has got it covered with experience and production. WR Jaden Greathouse is returning to breakout as one of the nation’s top receivers. After being rather quiet all season long, he put up a combined 233 yards in the semifinal and national championship game (39.3% of his total 592 yards on the season). Greathouse has clear WR1 capabilities and is a killer when it comes to big games. ND’s top transfer was Virginia transfer Malachi Fields, the 11th best WR in the portal. Fields has been very consistent, putting up nearly identical statlines in each of the past two seasons with just over 800 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns; he should give Carr a reliable veteran presence. That should also come from the offensive-line, which should be a top 10 unit in the country. They have three returning starters from last year’s squad: OT Aamil Wagner (PFF’s third-most-valuable Power Four tackle), OT Anthonie Knapp (ESPN’s 76th best player in the nation), and Billy Schrauth (allowed just one combined sack/hit in 2024). Add on OG Charles Jagusah, who’s being eyed for the 2026 NFL Draft, and this offense is just completely filled with star power.
A Stacked Defense
Somehow, ND’s defense is even more impressive than their offense. The secondary is arguably the best in the nation. Last season, CB Leonard Moore burst onto the scene despite being just a three-star recruit; as a true freshman, he led the team in passes defended (11) and allowed just a 39% completion percentage. Moore is the best CB in the nation and it’s not even close. Across the field is CB Christian Gray, who also broke out with nine passes defended and three interceptions in his first full season as a starter. Coming in to help out is Alabama transfer Devonta Smith, the sixth best safety in the portal and ND’s best defensive transfer of the class. Their last two safeties are NFL Draft prospects Jalen Stroman and Adon Shuler, rounding out one of the most prolific secondaries there is. The list of prospects doesn’t end there though. There’s EDGE Boubacar Traore, who did it all last season, gathering in a pick-six, one forced fumble, and three sacks. And then LB Drayk Bowen, who will be the team’s leading returner in tackles (78) and forced fumbles (3). This defense is elite at every point, positioning themselves for another deep playoff run.
Miami
Carson Beck
I will openly begin by saying that I do not think QB Carson Beck is good — I never have, but I won’t say I never will. And after watching him spiral out in SEC play last season, most will agree with me. However, it’s hard not to see the parallels between Beck’s arrival at Miami and Cam Ward’s arrival at Miami just a year ago. In the year prior to transferring to Miami, Ward threw for 3,736 yards, 25 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, and a 66.6% completion percentage at Washington State. In the year prior to transferring to Miami, Beck threw for 3,485 yards, 28 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a 64.7% completion percentage at Georgia. Statistically, Ward’s season was quite a bit better, and it definitely looked and felt that way too. However, Ward’s Pac-12 competition was not near the level of Beck’s SEC competition. Besides, this isn’t even about whether or not Beck will breakout to be the N0. 1 quarterback in the nation; Miami just needs Beck to be good. Knowing Beck has championship experience, once threw for almost 4,000 yards, can have a season with a reasonable amount of interceptions, and has a chip on his shoulder, I’ll reluctantly not count him out just yet.
The Running Game
Miami had the best offense in the nation last season and much of that was because of Ward, who they obviously don’t have anymore. This has created the expectation that the Hurricanes will have a more run-heavy offensive scheme this year. That would make sense; the Canes lost RB Damien Martinez to the NFL Draft, but they won’t be missing him for long. True junior Mark Fletcher Jr is the new starter after picking up nine touchdowns behind Martinez last season. His backup is true sophomore Jordan Lyle, who averaged 7.4 yards a rush, the second most in the ACC out of players with 50 or more attempts. The running back room is the most stable part of the offense, along with the offensive line. Miami’s three returning offensive starters were all from the offensive line. The highlight is Francis Mauigoa, one of the best OTs in the nation; he’s the only tackle in the FBS who let up two or less sacks on 500+ pass-blocking snaps, setting himself up to be a first round draft pick next year. Miami has an offensive line that may be top 10 in the nation, and the season is dependent on their ability to protect their new-look backfield.
Star Acquisitions
Carson Beck was not the only transfer that came to Miami; the Canes went deep and pulled out the third best transfer portal class in the nation to fill up the 14 positions left by their departing starters. The most work was done in their secondary, where four out of their five starters came in from the transfer portal. Their new stars are Xavier Lucas, the N0. 1 cornerback in the portal, and Zechariah Poyser, the No. 2 safety in the portal. On the other side of the ball, three of the Canes’ top four receivers all came through the portal: CJ Daniels (who had 480 yards at LSU), Tony Johnson (who had 449 yards at Cincinnati), and Keelan Marion (who had 346 yards at BYU). More key acquisitions were DT David Blay Jr, the fifth best defensive tackle in the portal, and Ethan O’Connor, the 10th best cornerback in the portal. Their biggest acquisition of the offseason did not come from the transfer portal though. New defensive coordinator, Corey Hetherman, has been given the job of turning around Miami’s infamously unreliable defense from last season. It’s a tall ask, but after leading Minnesota to fifth in total yards allowed and ninth in points allowed last season, there aren’t many better guys for the job than him. As Miami heads into a lot of change in their program, the future is foggy.
The Matchup
It’s very hard to look at any team in the nation and say that they have a better roster than Notre Dame. Unfortunately for Miami, this remains true for them too. Miami’s strongsuits, the running back room, offensive line, and secondary, all still fall short of ND’s loaded roster. The Fighting Irish simply have more talent across the board.
Miami actually does have one clear advantage though: the quarterback. Though Carson Beck isn’t the Heisman candidate he once was, he is the most experienced quarterback in the nation, and he’s up against a quarterback that has never thrown a collegiate pass before. That matters a lot. As much as Carr is filled with potential and talent, do I really think that he can walk into Hard Rock Stadium and lead Notre Dame to a victory? Well, all he has to do is manage the game. If Carr can throw for even 60%, ND should be fine. And on the other side, Beck does not have the best history against Notre Dame-level defenses anyways, so I’m not very confident in his ability either.
The nail in the coffin on this decision is Marcus Freeman’s genius. He’s arguably the best head coach in all of college football, and I can’t imagine that he hasn’t fully prepared Carr for this game.The Fighting Irish walked into the most hostile environment in the nation last year and beat Texas A&M at Kyle Field in week one. I’m confident that Freeman has got the Notre Dame ready for Miami too.
Notre Dame’s Yi Key for Victory: Make things as easy as possible for CJ Carr.
Miami’s Yi Key for Victory: Carson Beck must play on the Heisman level that he was once advertised to be.
Prediction: Notre Dame 20, Miami 10
