As the College Football Playoff national championship draws near, there’s an added layer of history and emotion behind the matchup between Miami and Indiana - and it has nothing to do with X’s and O’s.
Yes, the Hurricanes are chasing their first national title since 2001. Yes, the Hoosiers are making their first-ever appearance on this stage, led by a Heisman-winning quarterback who’s rewritten the narrative in Bloomington. But for Miami head coach Mario Cristobal, this game also brings back memories that stretch far beyond the field.
Cristobal will be coaching against Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza - the son of his former high school teammate, Fernando Mendoza IV. The two played together at Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, where they shared a bond forged under Friday night lights and in the heart of South Florida football culture.
“We went 6-4,” Cristobal recalled. “We won the district championship in a three-way tiebreaker. They used to have a Kansas City tiebreaker down here in Dade County where you put the ball on the 10-yard line and flip a coin.”
That tiebreaker included Miami Beach and Coral Gables, and Cristobal still remembers the moment it was decided. “Carlos Huerta, great Miami kicker, kicked the winning kick.
We won the district title. We played number one Southridge in the state championship.
They had a couple Hurricanes on there - Robert Bailey and Herbert James.”
Cristobal lights up when talking about those days. It’s not just nostalgia - it’s pride. Pride in the roots of Miami football, in the brotherhood built at Columbus, and in what it means to see the next generation carry the torch on college football’s biggest stage.
“And then we lost the next week in sectionals to Carol City, who was coached by Walt Frazier, one of the best of all time ever to do it,” Cristobal said. “Players like Rudy Barber, who was a teammate here.
Couple guys - Cedric, may he rest in peace; Tim Paulk, Godfrey Myles - just an awesome time for Dade County football. Just awesome memories.”
That era of South Florida football was loaded with talent, and Cristobal was right in the thick of it. Now, decades later, he’s guiding a Miami program back to national prominence - and doing it while facing the son of a former teammate is a full-circle moment.
Cristobal hasn’t spoken recently with Mendoza’s father, but the respect is clear.
“I mean, not really,” Cristobal said when asked if they’ve talked. “I think when you go to Columbus, that brotherhood is extremely strong.
Everywhere you go - especially in town - you run into guys. But we have crossed paths before.
Certainly, he was an excellent football player and has become such a prominent member of the community down here in the medical field. And certainly all the respect in the world for him and his family.”
While the personal connections add depth to the story, make no mistake - this game is about legacy. For Miami, it’s a chance to reclaim its spot among the sport’s elite.
The Hurricanes haven’t played for a title since 2003, when they fell to Ohio State. For Indiana, it’s uncharted territory.
Mendoza has not only brought the Hoosiers national relevance - he’s elevated them to the pinnacle of the sport.
Indiana’s rise has been nothing short of remarkable. Traditionally a basketball school, the Hoosiers are now a legitimate football power, and Mendoza’s Heisman season is a huge part of that transformation.
So when the two teams take the field, it won’t just be a battle of schemes and skill - it’ll be a story of roots, relationships, and the generational reach of South Florida football. For Cristobal, it’s a chance to add another chapter to his Miami legacy. For Mendoza, it’s an opportunity to finish a historic season with the ultimate prize.
And for those who remember the grind of high school football in Dade County - from Kansas City tiebreakers to state title heartbreaks - it’s a reminder that the game has a long memory.