College GameDay talks what’s at stake in Miami-Florida matchup. And Nick Saban praises Cam Ward
There are a lot of marquee matchups around college football this weekend.
But the consensus was clear on College GameDay: None might have a bigger impact on a team’s long-term trajectory than the No. 19 Miami Hurricanes’ seaosn opener against the Florida Gators in Gainesville.
Both teams are entering the third season under their current head coach — Mario Cristobal at Miami, Billy Napier at Florida — and both have underwhelmed to this point.
Cristobal is 12-13 in two years at Miami. Napier is 11-14 in two years at Florida.
Year 3, indeed, is a critical one for both schools.
And starting on the right foot by winning a game against an in-state rival is paramount.
“Whoever wins, tons of momentum,” ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit said on the College GameDay set. “Whoever loses, oh my gosh, you talk about trying to build a team back up, it could be devastating. So I think this game has the most at stake for Week 1.”
That sentiment was shared around the board.
“Whoever loses this game, their boat is going to be taking on water, at least in terms of perception,” College GameDay host Rece Davis said.
Added longtime analyst Lee Corso: There’s a lot of pressure on these coaches, and the opening game is a ‘JS’ — Job Saver.”
Nick Saban, the former Alabama coach who joined ESPN as an analyst, agreed with the fact that there’s pressure on both Cristobal and Napier to take a step forward this season, but he also stressed that fans have to “be more patient in this day and age, to me, to allow people to build a program.”
“It takes a little longer than three years to do that,” Saban said, “and I think both these coaches are doing a good job. They took over tough circumstances, and they’re making them better, and they’re going to get over the hump either this year or next year, but I hope that people have patience to do that.”
Saban’s praise for Cam Ward
The College GameDay crew also had its share of high praise for Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward, who transferred to Miami from Washington State this offseason.
Saban said Ward is going to be a “huge factor for Miami.”
“He’s going to be a significant player,” Saban added, “maybe one of those guys that comes up this year as the guy that dominates college football. He has that kind of capability. And I think they’ve got better players around him.”
Cam McCormick story
Following the breakdown of the Miami-Florida matchup, ESPN showed a six-minute video hit on tight end Cam McCormick, who his heading into his ninth season of college football.
College GameDay’s Jen Lada broke down McCormick’s journey, which started at Oregon in 2016.
McCormick spent his first seven seasons at Oregon, five of which included Cristobal on the staff (first as the co-offensive coordinator in 2017 and then as head coach from 2018-2021). However, he only played two full seasons there (2017 and 2022) and 40 total games due to a litany of injuries.
The rundown:
▪ He tore his ACL in practice before Week 2 of the 2016, leading to him redshirting his true freshman season.
▪ A torn ligament in his ankle and a broken fibula in the 2018 season opener. A setback during his rehab cost him the 2019 season as well.
▪ During fall camp ahead of the 2020 season, McCormick sustained a foot injury that cost him that season as well.
▪ And then in the second game of the 2021 season, he tore the Achilles tendon in his right foot after catching a pass against Ohio State.
McCormick then transferred to Miami ahead of the 2023 season. In his first season with the Hurricanes, he played in all 13 games, starting 11, and caught eight passes for 62 yards while being used heavily as a run blocker.
McCormick is slated to be part of the Hurricanes’ tight end mix again in Year 9 along with redshirt junior Elijah Arroyo, true freshman Elija Lofton and sophomore Riley Williams.
“A lot of people make those jokes like, ninth year, blah, blah, blah,” McCormick said, “but it’s like a lot of people couldn’t step in my shoes and go through all the injuries and still be standing here on my ninth year.”
.JPG)