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No. 10 Miami is headed to the national championship, but Mario Cristobal wanted to make sure his guys weren’t celebrating early.
The Hurricanes took the lead with 18 seconds left after Carson Beck looked to score when the left side of the field was left wide open.
After taking a 27-24 lead, an assistant approached the head coach and hugged him from behind while smiling from ear to ear.
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Head coach Mario Cristobal of the Miami Hurricanes looks on in the fourth quarter against the Ole Miss Rebels during the College Football Playoff semifinal in the VRBO Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on January 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Cristobal, however, did not agree.
Almost immediately, Cristóbal broke free of the hug and snapped at the coach, perhaps knowing that anything could happen given the number of goals that had already occurred in the fourth quarter.
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal gestures toward fans after defeating Virginia Tech in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in Blacksburg, Virginia. (AP Photo/Robert Simmons)
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Twenty-five of the game’s 51 points were scored in the final seven minutes, in which there were four lead changes. Ole Miss took the lead with a field goal, but Miami responded with a 36-yard touchdown by Malachi Toney to take a 24-19 lead. Minutes later, the Rebels scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion to take a 27-24 lead.
It’s up to Beck and the Miami offense to keep the game alive. Beck marched down the field and, fittingly, Beck, scanning the field, found a seam to his left and ran into the colored paint to score the game-winning goal with 18 seconds left. This led to the hug that Cristóbal did not want to be a part of.
Things got fascinating at the end, with Ole Miss going 40 yards in just a few seconds to set up a Hail Mary for the win. Chambliss had room to throw a pass into the end zone and, although it hit a teammate’s hand, it fell incomplete for Miami’s victory.
In all likelihood, Cristobal and the assistant coach shared a long hug as the Hurricanes celebrated.
Carson Beck of the Miami Hurricanes passes the ball against the Ole Miss Rebels in the first quarter during the 2025 College Football Playoff semifinal in the VRBO Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on January 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Miami will face Friday’s winner, No. 1 Indiana and No. 5 Oregon, in the national title game on Jan. 19, which will be played at its own Hard Rock Stadium in South Florida.
