Jaden Rashada and the Georgia Bulldogs Gear Up for College Football Playoffs Against Miami Hurricanes
Gabriel Lake -- 247 Sports Miami Insider
As the college football playoffs approach, all eyes are on Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jaden Rashada as he prepares to face the team he was once committed to, the Miami Hurricanes. Rashada's journey to Georgia has been anything but ordinary, marked by multiple commitments and transfers that have shaped his career.
Initially committed to Miami, Rashada's decision to decommit and flip to Florida was just the beginning of a whirlwind journey. His recruitment took another twist when he signed a National Letter of Intent with Florida in December 2022, only to be released from it a month later due to issues surrounding a reported $13.5 million NIL deal with the Gator Collective.
The fallout from the failed NIL deal left Rashada free to reopen his recruitment, and he eventually chose Arizona State. However, his time there was short-lived, and he transferred to Georgia in 2024, where he has found a home and a chance to prove himself on the big stage, throwing for 72 touchdowns and just thirteen interceptions in the past two seasons as a starter.
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal was complimentary of Rashada, declining to comment on his recruitment but to instead focus on his abilities as a quarterback.
"Jaden is a talented quarterback, and we know he'll be ready for this game," Cristobal said. "Our team is prepared to face the best, and we're looking forward to the competition."
Some other news heading into the Georgia game:
TCU to come calling once more, this time for defensive coordinator Lance Guidry
TCU hired Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson last December who led them to an eight-win season before taking the head coaching job at Oklahoma following Brent Venables' firing.
The Horned Frogs, once again needing a head coach, are coming back down to Coral Gables in hopes of finding them as they've done two interviews with defensive coordinator Lance Guidry who has emerged as the favorite to land the position.
Guidry is one of two coaches that have been interviewed twice by the program, the other being Texas Tech's Joey McGuire
Jeremiah Smith expected to be a full go against Georgia
Miami receiver Jeremiah Smith made his season debut in the ACC Championship Game, catching three passes for twenty yards in Miami's win over Florida State. Smith played a limited role and was on a snap count, not getting into the game until midway through the first quarter and did not play in the third quarter.
Cristobal said that Smith is 'fully healthy' and a 'full go' against Georgia in the playoffs.
He should help a Miami offense that has steadied under first-year offensive coordinator Chris Weinke after their earlier struggles in the passing game. Since throwing five interceptions in the first two games of the year, Emory Williams has thrown just one interception since. It'll be interesting to see if true freshman quarterback Keke Hagg gets into the game after not playing in the ACC Championship game.
Joenel Aguero intercepts Keke Hagg to seal Georgia's win over Miami
Miami finished second in the recruitment of heralded safety Joenel Aguero, who ended up signing with the Georgia Bulldogs. Five-star quarterback Jaden Rashada was at one point committed to Miami before flipping to Florida, signing with Arizona State and transferring to Georgia.
Rashada dominated Miami's defense and Aguero sealed the victory with the game clinching interception to stop Miami's comeback efforts short in the Bulldogs 38-30 win to advance to the College Football Playoffs Semi Finals.
The player of the game however was Cole Speer who scored four touchdowns, including a nineteen-yard reception in the fourth quarter to extend Georgia's lead to eleven points with 7:24 remaining. Miami would rally back with Keke Hagg, who played the entire fourth quarter in place of Emory Williams, who connected with Jeremiah Smith for a 29-yard completion to get the ball down to the two-yard line where Hagg would punch it in on a scramble to make it a one possession game following the failed two point conversion.
The Hurricanes defense would hold Georgia's offense to a field goal on the other side of the two point conversion, giving Miami a chance to force overtime. Hagg would convert a fourth and thirteen with a completion to Smith, who finished the game with 93 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Miami would get to the Georgia 37-yard line with a minute left and two timeouts when Hagg tried to find Ray Ray Joseph deep but would be intercepted by Aguero. Scoring Summary Quarter 1 Cole Speer 23 Yd pass from Jaden Rashada (9:22) Jeremiah Smith 4 Yd pass from Emory Williams (4:47)
Quarter 2 Cole Speer 78 Yd pass from Jaden Rashada (10:29) Davon Momah 16 Yd pass from Keke Hagg (3:37) Anthony Evans III 58 Yd pass from Jaden Rashada (1:11) Jeremiah Smith 31 Yd pass from Emory Williams (0:09)
Quarter 3 Cole Speer 15 Yd pass from Jaden Rashada (7:27) James Rutter, 46 Yd FG (1:45)
WR Cole Speer: 7 rec, 150 yds, 4 TD WR London Humphreys: 4 rec, 78 yds WR Anthony Evans III: 2 rec, 61 yds, TD WR Jeremiah Smith: 6 rec, 93 yds, 2 TD WR Davon Momah: 5 rec, 62 yds, TD WR Ray Ray Joseph: 5 rec, 44 yds
LT Markel Bell: 44.4 PFF grade LG Frankie Tinilau: 19.7 PFF grade C Will Larkins: 18.7 PFF grade RG Juan Minaya: 32.8 PFF grad RT Francis Mauigoa: 65.9 PFF grade
LB Chris Jones: 9 tkl DE Christen Miller: 8 tkl, 2 TFL, 1.5 sacks S Joenel Aguero: 6 tkl, INT S Markeith Williams: 8 tkl, TFL, PBU DE Marquise Lightfoot: 5 tkl, 4 TFL, 2.5 sacks DT Dan Mintze: 4 tkl, 2 TFL, 1.5 sacks
Cole Speer 23 Yd pass from Jaden Rashada (9:22)
Jeremiah Smith 4 Yd pass from Emory Williams (4:47)
