(Photo: ESPN)
Intriguing Game- NCAA Football, Week One
(6) Notre Dame Fighting Irish at (10) Miami Hurricanes
Notre Dame:
The best thing to happen to them was the loss in Week Two last season, on September 7th, when they were stunned at the hands of the Northern Illinois Huskies in South Bend. I’ll be the first to tell you that sometimes you need that kind of loss to get right—and that would end up being their only loss in the regular season. I loved how they handled business against the Indiana Hoosiers in the first round of the College Football Playoff, but what really stood out to me was the beatdown they handed the Georgia Bulldogs. They were stingy with the Dawgs’ offense and made it clear they weren’t going to allow them to run the ball. They found their rhythm all the way to the National Title game, where they ran into a buzzsaw: the Ohio State Buckeyes. Everything has been there for the Fighting Irish—consistent running game, a quality offensive line, and a defense under Marcus Freeman that has been one of the best in the sport. Their only question has been at the most important position: quarterback. Riley Leonard wasn’t bad last year, but he wasn’t the guy to win you a shootout. This year, Marcus has named CJ Carr the starting quarterback and I can’t wait to see what he’s capable of doing when the offense is more opened up for him. Tonight, the Irish will kick off their 2025 season in the same place they clinched a spot in the Natty—back in Florida, facing another legendary team.
Miami:
I love the history of the sport, and you can’t mention old-school college football without bringing up Miami. I remember saying two things years ago. First, this program is very similar to the Duke Blue Devils in basketball—former players are heavily involved. The same goes for the Hurricanes; many of their former stars are still active within the program. Second, I remember being on the radio in 2019 and being asked: “If you had a son, where would you want him to play football”? I didn’t hesitate. I said I’d encourage him to be a Miami Hurricane, because he could learn so much from legends like Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and Warren Sapp—all Pro Football Hall of Famers. But let’s focus on the present. This program still rides on its past success, but the truth is, they haven’t done much lately. Sports is a “what have you done for me lately” world—and to be blunt, they haven’t done anything. Their offense was great last year, lighting up the scoreboard with Cam Ward under center. A year later, Cam is playing on Sundays, and Mario Cristobal is turning to former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck as his guy. This was the number one offense in the country in 2024, but now, they have a new quarterback and are replacing their top five wide receivers. It’s Week One, and they’ll welcome Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame to town.
Notre Dame X-Factor: Jeremiyah Love-
This is a special kid on the football field. The more I watched him last year, the more I appreciated what he brings to the table. This offense will continue to run through him until Carr gets in sync with his receivers and gets a better grasp of the system. Jeremiyah is as complete of a running back as they come—with power, speed, and vision. Sometimes, when I watch him play, I’m reminded of Reggie Bush—because of how elusive he is in space and his ability to move in the open field. If he performs at the level he did last year, Jeremiyah will be in New York City for the Heisman presentation.
Miami X-Factor: Elija Lofton-
I always say that when a new quarterback steps in, his safety valves are either a consistent running back or a reliable tight end. Enter Elija Lofton—remember his name. He was a four-star tight end coming out of high school and arrived at Miami with high expectations. At 6’3″ and 230 pounds, Elija has the speed to break free, the size to create mismatches, and the catch radius to bring down tough balls. I expect him to be a much bigger part of the Hurricanes’ offense this year—and a trusted target for Carson Beck.
Final Thoughts:
I knew I had to cover this game the moment I saw it on the schedule. And tonight—here we are! These two haven’t faced off since November 2017, when Miami absolutely thumped Notre Dame. There’s history here, and tonight we’ll witness a new chapter in this rivalry. The last time Notre Dame played in this stadium was back in January, clinching a spot in the National Championship over the Penn State Nittany Lions. Now, both teams are looking to grab a signature win to jump-start their season. The big question for Miami is: Which version of Carson Beck will show up? I said it on the radio this week—if he can return to form and look like the guy who threw 24 touchdown passes with just six interceptions, he’ll be fine. But this will be his first game since tearing his UCL last December against Texas. With both teams starting new quarterbacks, I expect a defensive slugfest and a heavy focus on the ground game. The key matchup will be the Miami offensive line vs. the Notre Dame defensive front—and Carr’s ability to settle into this hostile Miami environment. He’ll need to make a few key throws early to ease the pressure. I’m also eager to see what this Miami offense looks like without Cam Ward—and how their new receiving corps holds up against Notre Dame’s defensive backs. If this were later in the season, I might lean Miami. But right now, Notre Dame is leaps and bounds ahead—and they’ll leave Hard Rock Stadium with a win tonight.
Prediction:
Notre Dame 29, Miami 17
