Francis Mauigoa is ready to protect Jaxson Dart in New York, and he is also not going to let him forget what Miami did to Ole Miss.
A social media post showed Mauigoa gifting Dart a custom Miami Hurricanes Fiesta Bowl jersey, a funny moment because Mauigoa's Hurricanes beat Dart's alma mater, Ole Miss, in last season's College Football Playoff semifinal.
Miami defeated the Rebels 31-27 in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8, sending the Hurricanes to the national championship game and giving Mauigoa the perfect inside joke for his new Giants quarterback.
Francis Mauigoa gifted Jaxson Dart a Miami Hurricanes Fiesta Bowl jersey ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜
— CanesMuse (@canesmuse) May 26, 2026
Francis beat Dart’s alma mater Ole Miss in the CFP last season.
(via francis.mauigoa IG) pic.twitter.com/BX7vZsXbPW
Francis Mauigoa gives Giants teammate a Miami gift with extra meaning
Miami trailed late before Carson Beck capped a 15-play, 75-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds left. Mauigoa was part of the offensive line that helped close the game.
Dart was not playing for Ole Miss anymore, but he was still in attendance for the Fiesta Bowl supporting his alma mater.
Dart went No. 25 overall in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. A year later, New York used the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Mauigoa.
Mauigoa has arrived with one of the best resumes of any offensive lineman in the 2026 draft. He was a 2025 first-team All-ACC selection, consensus first-team All-American and winner of the ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy. The Giants allowed 48 sacks last season, so adding Mauigoa gives New York a high-end protection piece for Dart.
No matter how far players in the NFL become removed from their college program, the friendly rivalry among teammates is always strong. The gift was a late birthday present that finally came in the mail and it seems like Mauigoa is a positive locker room piece, just as he was in Coral Gables for Miami.
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