"Miami's got a much easier road": Canes analyst breaks down why Carson Beck will fare better in ACC

Paul Finebaum suggested that Carson Beck will lead Miami to the College Football Playoff next season, a take that immediately generated a lot of reactions from fans. While many supported Finebaum's opinion, others were skeptical of the claim made by the SEC Network analyst.

Miami football analyst Alex Dunno gave further insight into the opinion of Finebaum during Monday's episode of the “Locked on Canes” podcast. Dunno made it known that the pathway to success for Carson Beck at Miami is much smoother compared to Georgia, as the Hurricanes have a better route to the playoffs.

“I'm not saying top to bottom of the roster, Miami is a better team than Georgia,” Donno said. “I cover Miami, I'm very close to it but I'm not delusional. But context is important folks. [8:17]

“First of all, Miami's got a much easier road. They do have a pretty tough non-conference schedule this year, but Beck is going to have opportunities to do things in the ACC that are tougher to do against SEC defenses.”

“For example last season, the Georgia Bulldogs had one of the toughest schedules in the country. They played against eight opponents – eight of their 12 opponents had top 30 defenses in America. Miami last year, only two of their 12 opponents had a top 30 defense in America.”

Miami experienced a resurgence with Cam Ward at quarterback last season, establishing itself as a real contender in the ACC. However, they eventually fell short of making the playoffs. The task of reaching that goal now falls on Carson Beck in 2025.

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Alex Dunno believes Carson Beck can thrive better at Miami than Georgia

Carson Beck had a successful first season as Georgia's starting quarterback in 2023. He entered the 2024 season as the Heisman Trophy favorite but failed to live up to expectations.

With his career set to continue at Miami in 2025, Alex Dunno believes the quarterback can record more success with the Hurricanes better than he did during his days with the Bulldogs.

“I think Beck can thrive in Miami in a way that he didn't in Georgia last year,” Dunno said. There's more to that … I believe Carson Beck is more than good enough. If few other things fall in place, he can and will lead Miami to the College Football Playoff spot. And it's crazy.” [10:06]

This is a highly unexpected path for Beck. The quarterback initially declared for the 2025 NFL draft. However, he subsequently opted out and transferred to Miami.