Phoenix doesn’t feel like home, and Carson Beck noticed it immediately.
“All the mountains and the desert,” Beck said. “It’s very different. But we’re really excited to be here.”
Different has defined Miami’s season from the very beginning. Different expectations. Different pressure. Different belief — carried quietly long before the spotlight arrived.
As the Miami Hurricanes prepare for the College Football Playoff semifinal tonight, Beck isn’t downplaying the moment.
“This isn’t just another game,” he said. “It’s the College Football Playoff semifinal. We’ve worked really hard to be in this position. We’ve earned the opportunity.”
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A year ago, that opportunity felt distant. Beck was rehabbing, weighing a sixth season, and making the difficult decision to leave Georgia for a new beginning in Coral Gables.
“At the time, it would have been impossible to see all this,” Beck said. “To see the light at the end of the tunnel. But to be sitting here now, I’m really, really blessed.”
College Football Playoff selection day didn’t create Miami’s belief. It validated it.
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Months of winter workouts, summer heat, and internal conviction surfaced when the Hurricanes’ name appeared on the screen.
“We believed in ourselves and our capabilities,” Beck said. “When they put our name up there and gave us a chance, we’ve just tried to take advantage of every opportunity.”
That opportunity now comes against Ole Miss Rebels, a defense Beck knows well and respects.
“They’re very talented,” he said. “Their defensive coordinator does a great job mixing blitzes, pressures, and coverages. It’s going to be a challenge, but we’re looking forward to the opportunity.”
Preparation is where Beck finds calm. Film study. Situational detail. Trust in the work already done.
“When you put in the preparation, it alleviates that pressure,” he said. “You’re just able to cut it loose and have fun.”
Once the ball is snapped, Beck believes everything else fades.
“Once the first snap happens, it’s go time,” he said. “I’ve been in just about every situation.”
Tonight, belief meets opportunity. Miami didn’t stumble into this moment. They earned it. And Carson Beck is ready to let it rip.
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