With Miami one win from the College Football Playoff semifinals, Mario Cristobal spent his final pregame press conference leaning into the themes he's pushed all month: keep the routine, trust the people, and let the work show up on the field.
Miami (No. 10 seed) plays Ohio State (No. 2 seed) on Wednesday night in the CFP quarterfinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Mario Cristobal keeps the message the same ahead of the Cotton Bowl
Cristobal said the program's growth this season has been steady, especially after what he called a couple "bumps in the middle" of the year. He credited Miami's older players, along with the staff, for raising the standard in practice and preparation.
Cristobal pointed to a day-to-day schedule packed with meetings, lifts, film and extra work, then emphasized that the team's leadership has to "take over" in the small pockets of free time and make sure everything stays on track.
Cristobal also made it clear Miami's preparation isn’t built around the shadow of the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. Asked about that game, he acknowledged what it means to fans who lived it, but framed Wednesday as strictly "the 2025 Miami Hurricanes and the 2025 Ohio State Buckeyes."
Mario Cristobal speaks on both signal callers and Jeremiah Smith
A big chunk of Cristobal's availability centered on quarterback Carson Beck, and the way outside narratives can snowball around a player. Cristobal said Beck's quiet personality left room for storylines to "run on their own" dating back to the end of Beck's Georgia tenure, but that Miami's staff has experienced something different daily. "He's all about team," Cristobal said.
Cristobal also praised Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin in glowing terms, calling him accurate and poised and saying he doesn't look like a young player running the offense.
Cristobal was also asked about Buckeyes star receiver Jeremiah Smith, who publicly said he would have committed to Miami if the Hurricanes were in a different place during his recruitment.
Cristobal called Smith an elite player and said when you lose a recruiting battle "for the right reasons," you simply wish the player and family well.
Miami takes on Ohio State on New Year's Eve
Ohio State coach Ryan Day offered his own respect for what Miami has built, saying the Hurricanes' talent shows up in how hard they play and adding that "they're as good as anybody in the country," starting up front.
Miami reached the quarterfinal by beating Texas A&M 10-3 in the first round, while Ohio State hasn't played since its 13-10 loss to Indiana in the Big Ten title game. Now, after weeks of talk, both teams will meet on the field soon.