Miami football came agonizingly close to its sixth national championship in January, falling to Indiana in the title game at Hard Rock Stadium. Six months later, the sting of that night has been replaced by a fresh wave of national buzz, and this time it centers on the offense.
Head coach Mario Cristobal lost quarterback Carson Beck, both starting outside receivers and four offensive line starters from that team. His response was to sign former Duke quarterback Darian Mensah, who threw for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns last season, and pair him with Duke teammate Cooper Barkate, who led the ACC in receiving.
Add returning sophomore Malachi Toney, the No. 2 receiver on my top receivers list, who caught 109 passes for 1,211 yards as a freshman, and 1,192-yard rusher Mark Fletcher Jr., and the Hurricanes suddenly look loaded at every skill spot.
J.D. PicKell puts Miami’s offense at the top
On3 analyst J.D. PicKell released his top 10 offenses for 2026 this week and slotted the Coral Gables program at No. 1, ahead of Oregon, Ohio State and every contender from the SEC.
“You tell me how you’re stopping Miami,” PicKell said. “They’re three or four deep at running back. They’ve got not one but two wide receiver ones in Malachi Toney and Cooper Barkate.”
The obvious counterargument involves the offensive line, where four starters must be replaced and five-star freshman Jackson Cantwell is expected to open the season at left tackle. PicKell dismissed that concern by pointing to Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal.
“They are not going to let that unit be the Achilles’ heel,” PicKell said. “Miami will reach 20 degrees in temperature as a city and freeze over, iguanas falling off the palm trees, before that ends up being a reality. If the question for your football team is a Mario Cristobal offensive line, you’ve got good questions.”
PicKell also credited coordinator Shannon Dawson, noting Beck threw for 3,800 yards in the same system a year ago.
“Shannon Dawson is going to be able to maximize what Darian Mensah brings to the table,” PicKell said. “If you can do all that with Carson Beck, what can you do with Darian Mensah? I think they will be the best offense in college football. I think that they average right around 40 a game.”
Miami belongs in the conversation, but Ohio State is the answer
Everything PicKell said about the Hurricanes’ weaponry checks out, and 40 points per game is not an outrageous projection given the roster and the state of the ACC. Still, the top spot on this list should belong to Ohio State.
Julian Sayin led the FBS in completion percentage while throwing for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns. Jeremiah Smith is the best player in the sport at any position, and the Buckeyes return an offensive line with 91 career starts.
Ohio State also ranks first nationally in returning offensive success rate. Mensah has never taken a snap for the Hurricanes, while the Columbus operation is running back a proven quarterback, a proven top receiver and a proven front five from a 12-0 regular season.
Miami’s ceiling depends on a rebuilt line jelling quickly, with a true freshman protecting Mensah’s blind side against a schedule that includes Clemson early and a November trip to Notre Dame. Projection is doing a lot of work in the Hurricanes’ case, and Ohio State requires almost none.
None of this means PicKell is wrong to be excited. Miami has assembled the deepest collection of skill talent in the ACC and arguably the country, and if the line holds up, the 40-point average is in play. However, the safest bet for the nation’s best offense resides in Columbus rather than Coral Gables.
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