The Miami Hurricanes revived a once great program this season and there’s plenty to celebrate, despite the disappointing 27-21 championship loss to Indiana on Monday.

Mario Cristobal couldn’t help be share a powerful message following the loss that should certainly resonate with Miami fans, players, and anyone who believes that the Hurricanes still very much have a bright future ahead of them.

Mario Cristobal can’t help but be proud of his Miami Hurricanes despite the loss

The Miami Hurricanes were so close. Cristobal and company finished out the regular season by winning four straight games to barely sneak into the playoff, but they earned it. They defeated Texas A&M with dominant defense. They took out Ohio State when no one believed they could. They handled business against Ole Miss. Miami had the opportunity to drive down the field and win the national championship with less than two minutes to go against an undefeated, 15-0 Indiana team, but sadly turned the ball over on a throw that could have set up the winning score.

Fans might be rightfully mad at quarterback Carson Beck for throwing the interception. It might feel good to vent and point fingers initially. However, once the dust settles, Miami fans — just like Mario Cristobal — should be able to look back at this special season and be proud of what this Hurricanes team accomplished. Cristobal certainly was proud of his team when asked about the words he shared in the locker room following the 27-21 loss to Indiana.

“There’s a lot. You really can’t share all of it. That’s a really resilient, tough, special group of human beings. They’ve been elite competitors. They’ve been the best thing that’s happened to the University of Miami and the community in 25 years. I love them. They certainly love each other. They turned around a program that — I’m really kind of at a loss for words. We let one slip away. Credit to Indiana. They’re a great football team. Tremendous amount of respect for them. But [our Miami] guys never stopped battling. Resiliency was awesome, like always. At the end we had a turnover. We had a chance to win all the way to the end, and we didn’t get it done. For those coming back, there’s a tremendous foundation, and elevation of standards have been set. These guys, no matter where they go, no matter what they do — us as Cane players and coaches — they’re a Cane for life. It’s a brotherhood that lasts forever.”

It might seem strong to call a football team the “best thing that’s happened to the University of Miami and the community in 25 years”, but it’s true. This run of unbelievable success, the growth of this program, the energy and hope it can bring to an entire community and fanbase, is inspiring. It may not be quite as inspiring as a Hoosiers team that had never won 10 games in a season prior to Curt Cignetti joining them and winning a national championship, but it reignited a passion that had fallen dormant in Miami for over two decades. This team was special, and for those who are returning, the journey is far from over. At least Mario Cristobal believes that to be the case.

Mario Cristobal proud of his Miami “champions” and is excited for the future

Cristobal didn’t stop with his comments on the Miami brotherhood or how much that this Hurricanes team meant to the city and university this season. He went as far to call them “champions” for what they’ve done together and how much they’ve meant to him personally. When asked specifically about what key players like Rueben Bain, Akheem Mesidor, Carson Beck, and others have meant to him, Cristobal couldn’t help but get a bit emotional.

“I always tell these guys that I learn more from them than I actually teach them. I’m a father too, and I want to always just take those lessons back into the household and help our kids to grow up and be like those guys (referencing, Rueben Bain, Akheem Mesidor, Carson Beck, and other players). Unbelievably hard-working, great people, that do right by others. I hate it for them. I wish I could have done more. I wish we would have done more. I do think [this team] is a deserving group. But in football ‘deserve’ has nothing to do with it. Again, credit to Indiana for putting together a great win. But I’m really, really proud of our guys. I can’t shy away from that. I’m really, really, really proud to be a Miami Hurricane. I’m proud of our guys. I’m proud of their toughness, resiliency. Nothing to feel sorry about or sorry for. We pick it up and go from here. Those guys are champions. We didn’t get it done tonight, but those guys are champions.”

It’s true. The Miami Hurricanes may not be national champions, but what so many of them accomplished this season certainly felt “deserving” of a college football crown.

Rueben Bain racked up a mind-boggling 83 pass rush pressures and 12 sacks on the season. Akheem Mesidor wasn’t far behind with 67 pressures and 13 sacks of his own. The Hurricanes defense as a whole was the most effective, efficient pass rushing, havoc-creating unit in the sport.

Mark Fletcher had 500 rushing yards for Miami in the four-game playoff run alone. Wide receiver Malachi Toney put together the most impressive true freshman season of the century (outside of Jeremiah Smith’s wild 2024), racking up over 1,300 total yards and 11 touchdowns. Up and down the entire roster, Miami’s stars amazed throughout the entire year.

This team may have lost the national championship, but Cristobal is right. This team has a lot to be proud of, and given what they’re returning in 2026, there’s no reason why they can’t be right back here in the mix again soon.

We’ll be back with more Miami Hurricanes coverage here at A to Z Sports soon. Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news.

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