Mario Cristobal says the Miami Hurricanes have spent enough time learning the hard way that this season should look different when the calendar turns.
Miami has been through this script before: hot start, national buzz, then a midseason stumble that blows up everything around it. Cristobal pointed to the work behind the scenes - especially practice structure and offseason conditioning - as the reason he believes the Hurricanes are better equipped to avoid another late-year collapse.
"Every year, you learn more," he said at Monday's media availability. "I feel like a couple of seasons ago, we were figuring out ways to get stronger in November and December.
We found a way to modify practices and incorporate service periods that allowed us to remain physical, but not wear us down in the wrong kind of way. We jumped on that all offseason."
That message comes with real weight in Coral Gables. In 2024, Miami was 9-0 before the trip to Georgia Tech in early November turned sideways at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Trailing 28-23 and under two minutes left, Cam Ward had a chance to pull out the win, but the former Heisman Trophy finalist was sacked, fumbled, and watched as the Yellow Jackets recovered to seal it.
Two weeks later, the Hurricanes suffered another gut punch, falling 42-38 to Syracuse. That loss knocked them out of ACC contention and ended their College Football Playoff hopes.
The same kind of pressure surfaced again in 2025. Miami opened 5-0, with wins over Notre Dame, South Florida, and Florida State, before losses to Louisville and SMU put the Hurricanes back in a familiar bind. Even so, they stayed alive in the postseason race, ultimately earning the final at-large spot over Notre Dame after weeks of debate around the Selection Committee rankings.
Miami then turned that opportunity into a run all the way to the National Championship game, knocking off Texas A&M, reigning champion Ohio State, and Ole Miss along the way.
This season brings another test, and the margin for error feels even tighter. Miami is in its bye week with seven regular-season games left, and the only game listed as an underdog spot is the Nov. 7 trip to Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. The Hurricanes cannot afford another slip if they want to keep their championship path intact.
Two of the biggest remaining hurdles also sit directly in the way of an ACC title. Pitt comes to the schedule on Oct. 24 at 5-0, followed by Duke on Nov. 14 at 4-0.
Miami has the third-highest-scoring offense in the Football Bowl Subdivision and the nation’s best scoring defense. Now the Hurricanes have to prove that early dominance can survive the grind that has undone them before.
In Other News...
Miami Fans Have Several Bye Week Games That Suddenly Matter
Miamis Week 6 off date gives the Hurricanes a little breathing room, but it also turns the schedule into a scoreboard-watching exercise. With the ACC still sorting itself out and the national picture taking shape, a handful of games suddenly carry more weight for Miami fans than they might have a month ago, especially when they involve familiar league rivals and teams with playoff ambitions.
Florida State at Louisville and North Carolina at Pittsburgh are among the ACC matchups worth tracking, while Stanfords trip to Notre Dame adds another layer to the conference race and the broader postseason conversation. Beyond that, games like Indiana at Nebraska, UCLA at Oregon and Georgia at Alabama could matter indirectly for Miamis standing and for how the College Football Playoff debate unfolds, which is part of the fun of an open week when a teams path can shift as much on the field as it does from afar. [Read more 🡒]
JJ Dunnigan Just Forced A Bigger Miami Secondary Decision
JJ Dunnigans showing at Clemson gave Miami another reminder that its secondary picture is still very much in motion. Even with questions about his health hanging over him, he came away with a notable interception and flashed the kind of speed that makes coaches look for ways to get him on the field. On the latest discussion from David Lake and DMoney, Dunnigans athleticism kept coming up as the sort of trait that can change a defensive back rotation in a hurry.
The bigger question now is how Miami sorts out the rest of that group, especially with Omar Thornton, Zechariah Poyser and Bryce Fitzgerald all part of the conversation about fit and role. Dunnigans case for nickelback has only grown stronger because of the way he showed up in a high-profile road game, and the staff will have to weigh his impact against everyone else in a secondary that still seems to be taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Freshman May Have Changed A Key Offensive Line Battle
The left guard spot had been one of the quieter but more important questions for Miami heading into the Clemson game, and freshman Ben Congdon may have helped answer it. Congdon got the start and stayed on the field for 61 of 66 snaps, giving the Hurricanes a steady presence on the interior while the offense leaned on the ground game and found success running the ball.
Pro Football Focus gave Congdon a 54.7 pass-blocking grade and a 71.3 run-blocking grade, a decent snapshot of a young lineman who looked ready for a bigger role. Mario Cristobal praised both Congdons performance and his attitude after the game, which only adds to the sense that Miami may have found a real contender in a battle that was very much still open. [Read more 🡒]