Will the 2026 Hurricanes Move to 5-0 After Their Matchup with Clemson?
Last week, the Miami Hurricanes looked to remain undefeated after Week Four during their matchup against the Central Michigan Chippewas. Miami stepped on the gas and never let go, crushing Central Michigan 52-3. Now, in Week Five, the Hurricanes will head to South Carolina to face the Clemson Tigers, who hold a 3-1 record under head coach Dabo Swinney. Miami will look to move to 5-0 and prepare for their October 17th battle with rival Florida State Seminoles.
The Hurricanes’ offense starts with quarterback Darian Mensah, who has looked nearly unstoppable when throwing the football. He has completed 88.7% of his passes, going 94 for 106 over the first four games in the series. The 21-year-old will look to continue to try and break the completion percentage record from 2023 held by Bo Nix. Defensive back Xavier Lucas and linebacker Ezekiel Marcelin Jr. are questionable to play. Lucas has been out since Miami’s season opener, and Marcelin Jr. sustained a lower-body injury against Central Michigan.
Clemson is heading into this matchup with seven players out with injury and two who are questionable to play. After being crushed by LSU in their season opener, 51-10, Clemson has won three straight against Georgia Southern, UNC, and California. Quarterback Tait Reynolds played well against Georgia Southern and UNC but struggled against California, finishing with just 106 passing yards and an interception. Running back Gideon Davidson has been the most stable part of the Tigers’ offense, racking up 346 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Both men must have their best game on the field if they want to stand toe to toe with Miami.
Mensah must continue to play as efficiently as he has. The 21-year-old cannot rely on just Malachi Toney to get the job done; other targets such as Cooper Barkate, Elija Lofton, and Daylyn Upshaw need to help the offense if the Hurricanes star wide receiver is being doubled or even triple-teamed. With 564 receiving yards in four games, Toney is the biggest threat on the field, and with the most accurate quarterback in all of college football throwing him the ball, the Tigers could be in danger. Clemson cornerback Elliot Washington II recorded two interceptions in the win over California last week; a huge turnover or two could give the Tigers an edge and put pressure on Miami’s 21-year-old quarterback.
Although Clemson has been a better football team since the blowout in their season opener, it’s going to be extremely difficult to stop Miami’s red-hot offense. The Hurricanes have scored more than 40 points three out of four times this season, while the defense has given up a total of36 points. They want to continue climbing the national rankings and be the nation’s top-ranked team. Mensah certainly wants to prove he’s a contender, making their case for the 2026 Heisman Trophy. Miami should be able to come out with a win, move to 5-0, and get ready for a hard-hitting affair with the Seminoles on October 17th.
