Pat McAfee Show to Spark Notre Dame vs Miami Excitement Months Early

Notre Dame and Miami football have played in several classics over the decades and another has just been scheduled.

No, it's not the November 7 showdown between the two national championship contenders this fall, but instead a recruiting battle for star wide receiver Julius Jones, Jr. as the Notre Dame legacy announced his commitment announcement plans on Sunday.

Julius Jones, Jr. to Announce College Choice on Pat McAfee Show

On Sunday, Jones announced how he'll let the world know his college choice. He posted to Instagram that he'll make his announcement live on the Pat McAfee Show, with Notre Dame and Miami being the only two finalists.

Commitment date details for elite 2027 WR Julius Jones Jr. ⤵️

Date: June 22
Time: 12:30 pm ET
Live: @PatMcAfeeShow
Finalists: Miami & Notre Dame pic.twitter.com/6Wtxt7pSCy
— Mike Singer (@MikeTSinger) June 14, 2026

Jones will pick between the two programs at 12:30 p.m. ET on June 22, with a national audience getting a taste of one of the top receivers in the nation this recruiting cycle.

Notre Dame's Chances at Julius Jones, Jr.

Jones recently canceled a recruiting visit to Oregon, which certainly didn't hurt Notre Dame's chances.

Likely because of his name and his father's legacy, it has long been speculated that Jones will ultimately choose Notre Dame, but to Miami's credit, the Hurricanes didn't simply fold up and run.

Back in May, Notre Dame recruiting insider Mike Singer made the prediction that Notre Dame would ultimately land Jones, but at the time, he put Miami behind the Fighting Irish in who had the best chances of getting the commitment.

I'm not saying that to knock Singer for suggesting Oregon was Notre Dame's biggest threat, but instead to show how Miami simply hasn't given up in its pursuit.

Why Notre Dame Must Land Julius Jones, Jr.

When you look at a recruiting class from top to bottom you start to understand why every commitment is important, but perhaps no fish out there currently is more important to Notre Dame than Jones.

Yes, there remains an extreme need at linebacker in this class, and until that's done, then it is a bit weary as well.

However, Notre Dame's receivers in the 2027 cycle are the linebacking equivelant.

Only Jackson Coleman of Littleton (Valor Christian), Colorado has committed at the position, and his recruiting rankings aren't exactly off charts.

That's not to say he can't be a diamond in the rough, but Coleman ranks as the 92nd overall wide receiver in the 2027 cycle according to On3.

Obviously, you want to bring in more than just Coleman at the position this cycle, and Jones would help in a big way there, as he ranks as the 84th overall player and 16th wide receiver according to the same outlet.

Nick Shepkowski's Prediction on Julius Jones, Jr.

Miami is no joke under Mario Cristobal.

Yeah, it played in the national championship game just this past January, but beyond that, look where the program has soared to in short order.

It wasn't long ago that Miami was the punching bag of jokes, following late-game meltdowns under Mario Cristobal. Now it appears to have its stuff together about as well as any program in the sport, and still being in on Jones only speaks to that.

That said, there has never been a moment when Notre Dame hasn't felt like the team to beat. Each time you read an update or a recap about a visit, Notre Dame delivers.

It's easy to say that the son of a Notre Dame great will pick the Fighting Irish, but nothing has happened to make anyone with a logical brain think otherwise.

I'll be stunned if Jones doesn't pick Notre Dame.

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