With so many great games to choose from in Week 1, we might be overlooking a sneaky one down in South Florida between the visiting Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the hometown Miami Hurricanes. These rivals will be duking it out not just for early bragging rights ahead of a big season for both teams, but to help two offensive playmakers help stake an early claim in the Heisman Trophy race as well.
For Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish are the reigning national runners-up under head coach Marcus Freeman. While offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock remains, Chris Ash replaces Al Golden on the defensive side of the ball. It may be a new quarterback under center for them in C.J. Carr, but all he has to do is hand the ball off to running back Jeremiyah Love a ton to set Notre Dame up for success.
As for Miami, Carson Beck comes over from Georgia with something to prove. He not only must replace the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft in Cam Ward, but he has to overcome what has been a very chaotic offseason for him as well. Beck suffered a major injury in the SEC Championship and did not get the draft grade he wanted, eventually transferring to the school his ex-girlfriend attended.
For so many reasons, Notre Dame has a chance to end Beck's Heisman Trophy race before it starts.
Why Carson Beck could struggle in first Miami start vs. Notre Dame
Miami may be dripping with talent on both sides of the ball, but do you really trust the main man in the big chair? Mario Cristobal is a great recruiter and offensive line coach, but he has been over his skis at times leading Power Four teams. He may have won a lot at his previous stop at Oregon, but that program largely runs itself. It was not until this past year that Miami started to look like The U again.
So what I am getting at is Beck will be making his first start with a new team, coming off the worst injury of his career and going up against last year's runner-up in a potential head-coaching mismatch of great magnitude. What could possibly go wrong? Of course, Carr may not be ready for the big stage just yet, but Notre Dame should once again be a defensive-minded team for the next year or so.
I know that Beck wanted to win a national championship quarterbacking Georgia, win the Heisman Trophy and be the No. 1 overall pick. I wanted that for him, too. It did not work out, and I wish him the best down in Coral Gables. What concerns me is Beck is going to have to be the reason why Miami beats teams like Notre Dame and likely Clemson later this year. He could, but I do not trust Cristobal.
Beck did a fine job replacing Stetson Bennett IV over in Athens, but what about Ward in Coral Gables?