What’s next for Miami? Hurricanes look to retool after heartbreaking CFP title game loss
Miami has arrived just before the College Football Playoff National Championship, but that doesn’t take away from the Hurricanes’ magical run through the CFP in 2025-26. Mario Cristobal led the program to its best season in 24 years, including three program-changing playoff victories that can serve as proof of concept for his plans for the future.
The coaches said this week that Miami is a year ahead of schedule for Cristobal’s fourth season, which raises the obvious question: What will 2026 look like? The roster remains loaded even with several departures planned, and the Hurricanes are poised to make a splash with Duke quarterback Darian Mensah. I’m supposed to sign at any time.
Miami already has perhaps the most expensive roster in the ACC, and that investment has paid off in 2025. The Hurricanes’ playoff run has earned the program at least $20 million in College Football Playoff payouts. An early-season home loss to Louisville and an overtime setback at SMU — Miami’s first game outside of Florida — could have derailed the year. Instead, the Hurricanes rallied to win four straight games, slipped into the CFP as the last overall team and validated the idea that strong late-season play deserves weight in the selection process. This path could influence the thinking of committees in 2026 and beyond.
Miami is in position to return perhaps the most talented team in the ACC next season, but there are significant holes that need to be filled. Quarterback Carson Beck is headed to the NFL, while defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. and right tackle Francis Mauigoa are projected as first-round picks. That turnover comes with the success of a program that had a school-record 19 players earning all-conference honors.
Is it the playoffs again or a bust for Cristobal?
It starts in the trenches
Miami will not only replace its quarterback and its best passer. The Hurricanes also need to rebuild an offensive line that could lose up to four starters. This unit has started the same five players in every game this season – one of eight national teams with this level of continuity.
The veteran group allowed just 51 negative plays heading into the playoffs, the fourth-best mark in the FBS. The departures of Mauigoa, center James Brockermeyer, left tackle Markel Bell and right guard Anez Cooper will be a major storyline this spring, although most attention is focused on the quarterback position.
Cristobal prides himself on building from the inside out, and the former Miami offensive lineman has stayed true to that philosophy.
The Hurricanes might be the strongest inside, with senior Matthew McCoy and junior Samson Okunlola set to return. Miami also signed five-star Jackson Cantwell, the nation’s No. 2 offensive tackle in the 2026 class.
Is Mensah the next playoff quarterback?
Miami’s pursuit of Duke quarterback Darian Mensah is the worst-kept secret of the portal cycle. He is expected to join the Hurricanes in the near future.
Cristobal and offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson have taken a similar approach to Moneyball in recent offseasons, targeting players with comparable production rather than identical skills. That philosophy guided Miami’s aggressive pursuit of Beck a year ago after he left Georgia. Although Beck didn’t offer the rushing element of former quarterback Cam Ward, his passing efficiency and yardage profile fit what Miami needed.
Mensah fits Dawson’s vision, combining finesse and power. The ACC Championship Game MVP passed for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns against just six interceptions last season and looks primed to thrive in South Florida.
Miami widens talent gap
Miami’s transfer portal success is making headlines, but high school recruiting could be even bigger.
The Hurricanes signed the ACC’s top class in December, landing 30 prospects and finishing No. 10 nationally, according to 247Sports. The gap between Miami and the rest of the league continues to widen. Miami’s class totaled 280.45 points in the 247Sports composite, 25.58 more than the second-place class in the ACC. Combined with a margin of 19.36 points in 2023, the trend is unequivocal.
Twenty-one of Miami’s 30 signees are blue-chip prospects. This group includes three blue-chip offensive linemen, highlighted by Cantwell, and six blue-chip defensive backs.
A more difficult path in 2026
Miami opened the season with a marquee victory over Notre Dame, a head-to-head result that helped propel the Hurricanes into the CFP. Next season, Miami will travel to Notre Dame on November 7.
The trip is part of a more demanding schedule that includes an expanded nine-game ACC slate, a road game at Clemson and a cross-country flight to Stanford. How the conference organizes these trips could go a long way in determining whether Miami returns to the playoff conversation.
For Cristobal and the Hurricanes, the margin remains slim – and expectations are no longer theoretical.
