Mario Cristobal stated that the 10-3 first-round College Football Playoff win at Texas A&M on Saturday provides validation for Miami and called his team full of great human beings. Cristobal stated how the narrative for Miami changed after the 26-20 overtime loss at SMU on November 1.
Miami outscored its final 151-43. The three points Miami allowed against Texas A&M were the sixth time this season that the Hurricanes have held an opponent to a touchdown or less. Texas A&M is the first Power Conference opponent Miami has held without a TD since a 14-12 four-overtime win at Virginia in 2022.
Miami earned validation of being selected to the playoffs with the win. Miami has now defeated Notre Dame and the other team that beat the Fighting Irish this season. Texas A&M won 41-40 at Notre Dame a week after Miami beat the Fighting Irish 27-24 in the opening weekend.
Miami made a decision as a team and a program after the loss to SMU to change its narrative. The loss at SMU was the second for Miami in three games in the middle of the season. Louisville beat Miami 24-21 two weeks before the loss at SMU.
"Just more validation. Again, we have a group of guys that...this means everything to them....They made a decision 40-some odd days ago to change the narrative... we've built this team from the trenches out. Physical, tough...They're great human beings...It's a next step...And validating what we came here to do. So, obviously, we're excited."Miami head coach Mario Cristobal
Multiple pundits stated Miami was the best team in the country as the Hurricanes began the season with five consecutive wins. Miami beat Notre Dame, Bethune-Cookman, South Florida and Florida State to open the season. The loss to Louisville came after a bye week.
Miami has take a bigger step in each season under Cristobal. The Hurricanes finished 5-7 in 2022 in the first year with Cristobal as head coach, went 6-7 in 2023 and lost to Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl. and had a significant improvement with a 10-3 record that ended with a loss to Iowa State in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Cristobal hired Corey Hetherman from Minnesota as defensive coordinator during the 2025 offseason and Miami won at Texas A&M on Saturday because of its dominant defense. Miami is off until they play Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Eve with a 7:30 PM Eastern Time kickoff.