"They can't just fall short again": Joel Klatt sets expectations clear for Mario Cristobal & Carson Beck at Miami in 2025

Miami had a brilliant run deep into the 2024 college football season. With Cam Ward at quarterback, the Hurricanes won their first nine games but missed the ACC championship game and College Football Playoff with two late losses.

Heading into the 2025 season, Joel Klatt is setting the expectations for Mario Cristobal and his team. With the team now led by Carson Beck at quarterback, the analyst believes the Hurricanes have no excuses to miss a spot in the playoffs after their 2024 failure.

“I think people would say Miami had a successful year last year - until the end. 9-0 felt like they were going to the playoffs, and then they didn't,” Klatt said (24:20). “The game at Syracuse was just like a kick in the teeth for Miami fans, a kick in the teeth.”

“Now they get Carson Beck behind a really good offensive line. They've done a nice job on the offensive line. They've hit the portal. They made a change at defensive coordinator with Corey Heatherman coming in. Miami's got to go to the CFP. They can't fall just short again.”

The Hurricanes had the playoffs in sight entering the final months of the regular season in 2024. However, losses to Georgia Tech and Syracuse in their last three games made their chances slip away. It's to be seen how the program responds in the upcoming season.

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Joel Klatt believes playoff miss is affecting Miami’s recruiting effort

Miami has never become one of the solid teams on the recruiting trail in the last few seasons. The Hurricanes have been in strong contention for a host of highly rated talents, but the success rate has been low. Joel Klatt explained the reason behind missing the prospects.

“Mario Cristobal has put them in the conversation for almost every elite recruit in the country,” Klatt said. “But the elite recruits in the country, not all of them, but a lot of them, pick other places. Why? Because those other places have proven they can go further on the timeline.

“They can get to the playoffs. They can go far in the playoffs. They can win championships, be developed for the National Football League. They've got to do that. Miami has never made a college football playoff. That needs to change. It needs to change this year. I think that they're good enough to do it.”

Mario Cristobal's team has a fair schedule to navigate in 2025. The Hurricanes open the season at home against Notre Dame on Aug. 31, and the only other game that should be tough for them is the Week 4 encounter against Florida, which should place them in the playoff conversation.