Paul Finebaum Names College Football Program That's a 'Serious' Playoff Contender

The countdown for the start of the 2026 college football season is down to less than a month. The Indiana Hoosiers are hoping to defend their national championship, but other viable options are out there.

One of those is the team that Indiana beat in the national title game, the Miami Hurricanes. The Hurricanes come back with a lot of firepower, with running back Mark Fletcher and wide receiver Malachi Toney returning on offense.

However, they do have a lot to replace from last year's team, like quarterback Carson Beck and defensive linemen Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor.

Darian Mensah Gives Miami a Chance to Replace Carson Beck

The Hurricanes, led by head coach Mario Cristobal, hit the transfer portal hard, landing one of the best quarterbacks in the portal, former Duke Blue Devil Darian Mensah. He threw for 3,973 yards, 34 touchdowns and six interceptions last season while leading Duke to its first ACC championship.

The Hurricanes also signed one of the most elite EDGEs in the country, Damon Wilson II, who had 9.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks last season with the Missouri Tigers. Given what the Hurricanes return, what they added and Cristobal running the show, ESPN's Paul Finebaum revealed on "The Paul Finebaum Show" that he's very high on the Hurricanes this season.

Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal with linebacker Wesley Bissainthe (31) against the Indiana Hoosiers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Paul Finebaum Believes Miami Is a Serious Playoff Contender

"I really like Miami," Finebaum said. "I'm a big fan of Mario Cristobal. I know sometimes he made innate decisions, but I think that's over now. I thought last year was a major turning point. I see a serious playoff team."

ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI), a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team's performance going forward for the rest of the season, is also high on the Hurricanes this season. The FPI ranks Miami as the No. 7 best team in college football. It gives them a 63.3% chance to make the College Football Playoff and a 5.3% chance to win a national championship.

Miami's Schedule Could Determine Its Playoff Fate

Finebaum's confidence isn't without merit. The Hurricanes have enough talent on both sides of the ball to compete with anyone in the country, and Mensah gives them an intriguing replacement for Beck at quarterback. If Wilson can help offset the losses along the defensive line, Miami could be even more complete than it was a year ago.

The biggest obstacle could be the schedule. Road games against the Clemson Tigers and Notre Dame Fighting Irish will give Miami two opportunities to prove it belongs among the nation's elite, but they also leave little room for error.

If the Hurricanes can navigate those games and avoid an unexpected loss along the way, another College Football Playoff appearance should be within reach. And after coming within seconds of winning the national championship last season, Miami has plenty of motivation to finish the job this time around.

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