Miami got here up simply quick within the School Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship, however that does not take something away from the Hurricanes’ magical run by the CFP in 2025-26. Mario Cristobal led this system to its greatest season in 24 years, together with three program-changing postseason wins that may function proof of idea for his plans for the long run.
Coaches stated this week that Miami is a yr forward of schedule in Cristobal’s fourth season, which raises the apparent query: What does 2026 seem like? The roster stays loaded even with a number of projected departures, and the Hurricanes are poised to make one other splash with Duke quarterback Darian Mensah anticipated to signal at any second.
Miami could already boasts the ACC’s costliest roster, and that funding paid off in 2025. The Hurricanes’ postseason run netted this system not less than $20 million in School Soccer Playoff payouts. An early-season residence loss to Louisville and an time beyond regulation setback at SMU — Miami’s first recreation outdoors Florida — might have derailed the yr. As a substitute, the Hurricanes rallied to win 4 straight video games, slipped into the CFP as the ultimate at-large crew and validated the concept that robust late-season play deserves weight within the choice course of. That path might affect committee pondering in 2026 and past.
Miami is positioned to return maybe probably the most proficient roster within the ACC subsequent season, however important holes have to be crammed. Quarterback Carson Beck is headed to the NFL, whereas defensive finish Rueben Bain Jr. and proper sort out Francis Mauigoa are projected first-round picks. That turnover comes with success for a program that had a school-record 19 gamers earn all-conference honors.
Is it playoff-or-bust once more for Cristobal?
It begins within the trenches
Miami will not simply be changing its quarterback and prime cross rusher. The Hurricanes should additionally rebuild an offensive line that would lose as many as 4 starters. That unit began the identical 5 gamers in each recreation this season — one in all solely eight groups nationally with that degree of continuity.
The veteran group allowed simply 51 destructive performs coming into the postseason, the fourth-best mark within the FBS. The departures of Mauigoa, middle James Brockermeyer, left sort out Markel Bell and proper guard Anez Cooper shall be a significant storyline this spring, at the same time as most consideration facilities on the quarterback place.
Cristobal prides himself on constructing from the within out, and the previous Miami offensive lineman has stayed true to that philosophy.
The Hurricanes could also be strongest on the inside, with senior Matthew McCoy and junior Samson Okunlola set to return. Miami additionally signed five-star Jackson Cantwell, the nation’s No. 2 offensive sort out within the 2026 class.
Is Mensah the following playoff quarterback?
Miami’s pursuit of Duke quarterback Darian Mensah is the worst-kept secret of the portal cycle. He’s anticipated to hitch the Hurricanes within the close to future.
Cristobal and offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson have taken a Moneyball-like method in latest offseasons, concentrating on gamers with comparable manufacturing reasonably than an identical talent units. That philosophy guided Miami’s aggressive pursuit of Beck a yr in the past after he left Georgia. Whereas Beck did not provide the dashing ingredient of former quarterback Cam Ward, his passing effectivity and yardage profile aligned with what Miami wanted.
Mensah matches Dawson’s imaginative and prescient, mixing finesse with energy. The ACC Championship Sport MVP threw for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns towards simply six interceptions final season and seems primed to thrive in South Florida.
Miami is widening the expertise hole
Miami’s switch portal success attracts headlines, however its highschool recruiting could also be much more important.
The Hurricanes signed the ACC’s prime class in December, touchdown 30 prospects and ending No. 10 nationally, in accordance with 247Sports. The hole between Miami and the remainder of the league continues to develop. Miami’s class totaled 280.45 factors within the 247Sports composite — 25.58 greater than the ACC’s second-ranked class. Mixed with a 19.36-point margin in 2023, the pattern is unmistakable.
Twenty-one of Miami’s 30 signees are blue-chip prospects. That haul contains three blue-chip offensive linemen, highlighted by Cantwell, and 6 blue-chip defensive backs.
A more durable highway in 2026
Miami opened the season with a marquee win over Notre Dame, a head-to-head end result that helped propel the Hurricanes into the CFP. Subsequent season, Miami travels to Notre Dame on Nov. 7.
That journey is a part of a extra demanding schedule that features an expanded nine-game ACC slate, a highway recreation at Clemson and a cross-country flight to Stanford. How the convention arranges these highway journeys might go a great distance in figuring out whether or not Miami returns to the playoff dialog.
For Cristobal and the Hurricanes, the margin stays skinny — and the expectations are not theoretical.
