Josh Pate Names College Football Playoff Team That Will Be Better in 2026

Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal before the College Football Playoff National Championship game. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Miami Hurricanes showed the college football world that they are back to being a serious contender.

The Hurricanes went 13-3, made the College Football Playoff for the first time and made the national championship for the first time since 2002. The Hurricanes defeated the Texas A&M Aggies, the defending-champion Ohio State Buckeyes and the Ole Miss Rebels before losing to the Indiana Hoosiers in the championship game.

Miami's QB Formula Keeps Working

This marked the fourth year of the Mario Cristobal era. Over the last two seasons, the quarterback play has been a big reason for the resurgence. In 2024, Cam Ward threw for 4,313 yards, 39 touchdowns and seven interceptions, leading the Hurricanes to their first double-digit win season since 2017. He was selected with the first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Then, Carson Beck transferred from Georgia before the 2025 season. Beck had a strong year, throwing for 3,813 yards, 30 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

The six-year senior was then selected in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Now, Miami will be led again by one of the top transfer quarterbacks, this time, former Duke Blue Devil Darian Mensah.

Former Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) looks to throw. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Josh Pate Sees Something Special in Darian Mensah

Mensah threw for 3,973 yards, 34 touchdowns and six interceptions, leading Duke to its first ACC championship since 1989. Josh Pate revealed on "Josh Pate's College Football Show" that he thinks Mensah is a mixture of Ward and Beck, which is why he thinks Miami could be even better this season.

"Darian Mensah, I'm looking very much forward to watching, because I very much think he's a blend of the best of Cam Ward and Carson Beck," Pate said.

"I think he's in a perfect situation. He gets to play in an offense that can really mold itself around his skillset... He is one of the main reasons I think they could end up being a better team than the team that played for the national title last year."

Why Miami Could Be Even Better in 2026

Mensah possesses a lot of the best qualities that Ward and Beck had. He has a great arm, but also reads the field well and makes the smart play most of the time.

However, replacing Beck wasn't the biggest question mark plaguing Miami this season. It was replacing first-round EDGEs Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor.

That Miami pass rush was hellacious. It was a nightmare for opposing coaches and quarterbacks to play against. Losing two players like that isn't easy to replace. But that is what the Hurricanes and Cristobal will have to do if they want to return to the College Football Playoff, but this time leave with the national championship trophy.