Rivals/On3 analyst JD PicKell has a few questions about the Miami Hurricanes, but he seems to like the answers that Mario Cristobal will have for them in 2026.
The On3 season preview reports have been going on all month is it was finally the Hurricanes chance to go under the microscope. However, the inspection looks solid because Miami is a runaway favorite to win the ACC and return to the CFP 12-team bracket behind a deep and talented roster.
"I'm gonna keep it a buck. I even like the questions about Miami ahead of next [season]'.. I'm really high on the 'Canes," PicKell said during the episode.
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On3's JD PicKell has very few concerns about Miami ahead into the season
The two questions that PicKell has make plenty of sense, but even the concerns there are minimal.
"Can you avoid the toe stub, which I think you feel confident you can, based on how you finished last year," PicKell asks.
Every Miami fan is looking toward the Notre Dame game and I get it, that's the game on the schedule that most of the college football world is looking at. It's going to be in early November when there's a bit of a chill in the Indiana air, and it's going to be a primetime showdown on NBC. It's the perfect environment for the Hurricanes to beat the Irish again and end any silly arguments some of their irrelevant former players have.
READ MORE: Former ND QB tries to explain away last year's loss to Miami but the facts make it worse
So after the Notre Dame game, what's the game that really concerns you? It's hard to say. If there were one most fans would point to, it would be on the road at Clemson on October 3. The Hurricanes should be a good favorite over the Tigers and that program has definitely fallen off over the past few years. But it could be a night game, and it's on the road against a team with some very good players and a coach with a championship pedigree. Outside that, there isn't a Louisville or SMU on the schedule and even if you think Virginia Tech is going to be much better under James Franklin, the Hokies probably aren't winning at Hard Rock Stadium this year.
"That over/under win total for Miami is around 11.5, and it's there for a reason. Miami is going to be really good," PicKell adds.
PicKell makes a good point by saying that there are a lot of guys on the roster that went through the experience of losing to Louisville and SMU and battling back to take the final at-large spot in the playoffs. Miami was still ascending last year. The fans had expectations and an idea of what the Hurricanes could've been, but we really didn't see it until that final stretch of the season and in the playoffs. This year, Cristobal is going to make sure that this team has itsfoot on the gas all the time. In his mind and in the mind of that team, there is no margin for error in 2026. It's that attitude that will be the difference when it's time to win a championship.
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