You know how college rivalries are—fandom’s favorite dish to spot and feast on. What about Miami and Notre Dame? Not traditional rivals, though, but significantly powerful opponents. The last time they squared off was back in 2017, with the Hurricanes relishing the win. Miami wrapped up its second scrimmage, but more is yet to be done. Meanwhile, there is a catch.

With the 2025 season knocking at your front porch, with barely two weeks before the Hurricanes will square off against powerhouse Notre Dame, the University of Miami begins its classes next week. Now, to maintain your eligibility, you have to cross a certain academic benchmark, or else there you go. With such a tiny window to increase the reps and improve those units, can Mario Cristobal’s athletes balance it out?

Statistically and historically, they have. Earlier this month, the Hurricanes proudly posted their summer 2025 team cumulative GPA, their all-time best. 72 students earned a 3.00+ GPA, posting an 8th consecutive GPA record with an all-time best, a 3.256 summer 2025 team cumulative GPA, spanning over 36 degree programs. Not to forget the first two 2.5-year graduates in program history. “On the field or in the classroom. We work!” Miami Hurricanes wrote on X. In the brutal college football landscape, barely 1% of the players get squeezed into the pro league.

The head coach is confident in his players’ ability to crack that challenge, firmly maintaining that there will be no compromise on the academic front. “It doesn’t. Preparation never stops.” Coach Mario said in an interview with Don Bailey. “And you’d like to think that what we do in camp prepares them and gives them a foundation for being able to handle your classes, your schedule, your regimen, and still being able to take care of football at the highest level.” 

Look at former QB Cam Ward, who plays for the Tennessee Titans. A zero-star prospect, who spiked up straight to rake in the No. 1 NFL Draft pick. Yeah, the star QB of the Miami Cristobal. But what about his academics? He clinched the Davey O’Brien award with an impressive 3.5 GPA. Cristobal continued, “When you’re a Miami Hurricane, there’s no compromise. Academics are going to be held to an elite standard. Football is going to be held to an elite standard. A lot of new guys are starting their first year in college. This ain’t like high school, where the bell rings and it’s go to period two, and it rings again, you go to period three. We fill in the gaps with stuff for them to do.” 

If you’d thought that Miami is only hitting high in athletics, you have to think twice. Boasting a rich athletic tradition for a century, 21 team national championships, and 83 individual national championships since 1921, the Hurricanes are a celebrated program. Just zooming in on football, the program alone has produced two Heisman winners, 74 All-Americans, and 13 CFB Hall of Famers. 9 Pro Hall of Famers and 62 first-round NFL draft picks. A great lot, huh? But not at the expense of academia.

All eyes on Week 1

Building a strong academic resume becomes crucial for student-athletes, provided they wish to pursue other career streams. And no, this achievement is not a one-time thing. The Canes have been posting great results for years. Last year, football individually recorded an 89% Graduation Success Rate. And just for context, the national average is 90%. Moreover, seven programs in Miami Athletics tallied a perfect sum of 100. So yes, they are doing great on both fronts. So, Cristobal’s saying football and academics are held to an elite standard.

When it comes to Week 1, are the Hurricanes ready to battle it out at the rocky turf against Notre Dame? Well, last year, they ranked No. 3 in passing offense, averaging 348.2 passing yards per game. With the experienced WRs’ departure, they filled the lacunae from the transfer portals and developed players. Next is the QB factor. The Coral Gables have an experienced QB in Carson Beck, whom Cristobal plucked from Kirby Smart’s roster. “The offense got in gear early,” Mario Cristobal painted the O-line following the second scrimmage at Coral Gables. “The physicality and run defense stood out,” he added. A further film review will reveal the loopholes, but one thing is clear. There is more work to do.

While the Irish are yet to sort out their QB1 in CJ Carr or Kenny Minchey. That’s there, but Marcus Freeman promises to boast one of the best defenses in the country. Now, it’s going to be an explosive play (or so it is expected), since both these teams are playoff contenders. And the head coach seems optimistic. “…confidence is extremely high that we can have the same type of production that we’ve had in that last year and other years when Miami’s been really good.”