College football is finally back. What better way to start the 2025 NCAA season than a rivalry game between the Miami Hurricanes and Notre Dame Fighting Irish? In what’s set to be an electric showdown to kickstart his career in Coral Gables, Carson Beck will make his debut under the close look of four NFL general managers.
The eyes are upon Beck, who is set to play his final NCAA campaign before declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft. On that note, several franchises want to see him closely in his first presentation with the University of Miami. Of course, there’s enough talent beyond Beck to make the trip to South Florida worthwhile for the four GMs in attendance.
As reported by Sports Illustrated‘ Bryan Fischer, there are four NFL general managers in attendance at Hard Rock Stadium: Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears), Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers), Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills), and Joe Schoen (New York Giants).
With Caleb Williams, Jordan Love, Josh Allen, and Jaxson Dart already leading —or expected to lead — those franchises, there’s reason to believe Beck might not be the primary focus for the GMs in Miami Gardens.
CJ Carr at Hard Rock Stadium on August 31, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
What to expect
The opening-week showdown between the Canes and Irish is packed with storylines, but perhaps none bigger than the quarterback battle. Beck enters the night with 27 career starts in college football, while Carr makes his first NCAA start. A hostile environment and high-stakes stage like this can make or break the young signal-caller.
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On that note, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman was honest on the gameplan for the debuting Irish quarterback. “We’ve got to take the pressure off of him,” Freeman said in dialogue with ESPN prior to kickoff. “Got to establish the run game, or give him easy-access throws, and play really good defense. Just go be you, you don’t have to win the game for us, just do your job.”
Similar tone
While Miami’s Mario Cristobal boasts a starkly different situation under center, his message to Beck before his debut in Miami Gardens was quite similar. “I want to see him be him. The best version of him,” Cristobal told ESPN’s Molly McGrath. “He’s done a great job in camp, got to show it tonight.”
