Miami Solved its Kicking Quandary with Victory Over Notre Dame

Two incoming transfers battled for the 'Canes kicking duties, but Carter Davis' week 1 heroics proved he's the right man for the job

Aug 31, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes place kicker Carter Davis (39) kicks the game winning field goal against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Standing in front of a raucous, sold-out crowd at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, Hurricanes kicker Carter Davis lined up for the try of a lifetime. With his team tied 24-24, with less than a minute remaining and 66,793 fans all going crazy, he calmly nailed a 38-yard field goal that proved to be the final nail in Notre Dame's coffin.

The 'Canes 27-24 win over the #6 team in the nation will certainly shake up the polls, and it's a signature week 1 victory that will push the team up the rankings a notch. Miami entered the contest at #10 in the opening polls.

It's also another classic battle between two programs that have had bad blood for 40 years, most notably with the infamous 'Catholics vs. Convicts' game in 1988. Many of their titanic tussles have decided national championships over the decades, the two teams always seem to be on some sort of high-profile collision course every couple of years.

But the biggest winner of all was Carter Davis. The transfer from Florida Atlantic had a heck of a first night as a Hurricane. His game-winner will go down as another chapter in the storied rivalry. After battling for the kicking job with fellow transfer Bert Auburn, he earned the right to be in the spotlight on Sunday.

“My heartbeat skipped, plus accelerated, because I was so excited," Davis said after the game.

Carter Davis Proved A Lot In Win Over Notre Dame

Aug 31, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; The Miami Hurricanes react after defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

When Carter Davis entered the Miami program, he was still highly unproven. During his time at FAU, he was only 4-for-13 in field goal attempts. However, he was perfect in week 1, going 2-for-2 on field goals and nailing all three of his extra point attempts. However, he certainly had never booted the pigskin under the crushing pressure and awesome environment that he faced on Sunday night. Even several Hurricanes fans probably thought Davis would miss, and the game would go to overtime.

Davis displayed that he had ice water in his veins, thus proving that head coach Mario Cristobal made the right decision to go with him. In a stellar showdown with a legendary rival, all facets of the team contributed to the win, with solid play by both the offense and defense... and with a big assist from the special teams.