One might think that losing the number one overall pick in the NFL draft, especially at such a valuable position, would slow down a program the following year. Cam Ward helped elevate the Miami Hurricanes to new heights and then left for the draft, going first overall.
In his wake is Georgia flameout Carson Beck, who has somehow elevated the Hurricanes even more. He has them in prime position for their first College Football Playoff appearance. They're up to number two in ESPN's latest top-25 poll.
Andrea Adelson said, "Carson Beck has helped lead the Hurricanes to a 4-0 start following a 26-7 win over Florida on Saturday. Though his performance against the Gators was not up to his standard -- Beck went 17-of-30 for 160 yards with one interception -- he is still completing 73% of his passes on the season and has helped position Miami in the top five as a CFP contender."
Beck has made some big plays in the passing game, taking advantage of stellar pass-catchers who can really go up and make plays for him. "Following an open date, Miami plays Florida State in Tallahassee, and Beck said he is looking forward to playing in Doak Campbell Stadium for the first time," Adelson said.
This all speaks to the program that Mario Cristobal has built. The coach lost one of the best players in college last year (Ward was also a finalist that lost the Heisman to Travis Hunter) and has somehow managed to get even better in 2025. Beck struggled to close out his Georgia career, but he might've found a genuine resurgence in South Beach.