Miami back in title game for first time since 2003

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Miami safety Jakobe Thomas enjoyed seeing the Hurricanes at their worst. He was with Middle Tennessee State in 2022 when the Blue Raiders — four-touchdown underdogs that day — came into Hard Rock Stadium and used big play after big play to beat Miami 45-31, part of the Hurricanes' spiral to a 5-7 season in Mario Cristobal's first year back at his alma mater. And it wasn't like that MTSU team was some juggernaut, either. It went 0-3 in its next three games, losing by a combined 60 points. But it had no trouble with Miami. That was then. Miami's resurrection from that bad day and a lot of others over the last 20 years — a period during which the Hurricanes have had six coaches, three other interim coaches, 17 seasons that didn't include a bowl win, countless headaches and zero Atlantic Coast Conference championships — is just about complete. The Hurricanes (13-2, No. 10 College Football Playoff) play for the national championship on Monday against Indiana (15-0, No. 1 CFP) at that same Hard Rock Stadium that was practically empty at the end of MTSU's win four years ago. "It's completely different," said Thomas, who transferred to Tennessee for 2024 before coming to Miami for his final college season. "The Miami team we played back in '22 was not this team now. I think coach Cristobal changed the culture around this place." Make no mistake: Swagger is still a thing at Miami. These Hurricanes are brash and aggressive and tackle hard and play harder. Cristobal's intensity is constant. Same goes for his staff. But there's a balance now as well, a demand for accountability and carrying yourself the right way at all times. Some examples — wide receiver Malachi Toney, the best freshman in America this season, gave away turkeys at Thanksgiving; star defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. organized a toy drive at Christmas and made a $5,000 donation to the elementary school he attended years ago; and receiver CJ Daniels did an event to raise awareness of epilepsy, something that has touched his family. And ever since Cristobal came back to Miami, the team has broken two records each year: one for fall-semester GPA, then one for spring-semester GPA. "We have good people," Cristobal said. "No, we have great people. It starts there. Surround yourself with great people, like-minded people and see what happens." Cristobal didn't use some unheard-of, wacky formula to bring Miami back to the national title picture. It was really quite simple: outwork everyone, make honesty and transparency fundamental principles of the program, hire the best people and fight like hell to win recruiting battles — nationally, of course, but also the ones waged in the Hurricanes' talent-rich backyard, which sends tons of kids to the highest levels of college football every year. Landing Bain — a Miami guy who stayed home for college and who should be a sure-fire first-round NFL draft pick — in 2022 was a huge get. Cristobal was on a plane when Bain called him to commit. He threw his phone across the plane when he heard the words. Luckily, it was a private plane. The phone didn't hit anyone. "We're used to winning and that's what we're going to bring back to Miami," said Bain in 2022 when he announced his college choice. "They need help bad, they need help right now, and I'm willing to come in right now and make a change." Changes were made. After that 5-7 first season, Miami went 7-6 in 2023. Better, but nowhere near good enough. In 2024, the Hurricanes started 9-0 then lost three of their last four games. Better again, but still not good enough. So, Cristobal hired defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman away from Minnesota to shore up that side of the ball. Carson Beck signed and took over for No. 1 draft pick Cam Ward at quarterback. Miami kept landing key pieces in the transfer portal — Thomas, Keionte Scott and Mohamed Toure are some who'll play big roles on defense Monday, while Keelan Marion, James Brockermeyer, Marty Brown, Daniels and Beck are just a few of the names who'll be on the offensive side. "It was just getting the brotherhood right," said linebacker Wesley Bissainthe, who played for Miami in that loss to MTSU. "I feel like we're all in there. Every person in that locker room is playing for each other. That's what it looks like when we're out there. No one is just playing for themselves. "The brotherhood, I feel like it's one of the most important things in a team's culture. You've got to play for the person beside of you." Miami has put together back-to-back seasons of double-digit win totals — it had four consecutive 10-or-more-win seasons from 2000 through 2003, then exactly one such season from 2004 through 2023. It will have back-to-back season-ending appearances in the AP Top 25 for just the second time since 2005. Win or lose Monday, Cristobal will inevitably say more work needs to be done. But the dark days at Miami, finally, seem to be over. "A care factor that's through the roof and a die-hard belief in the University of Miami, bleeding orange and green through all of us, I think that's what has really forged our progress forward as we continue to try to get better," Cristobal said. "And we certainly have a long ways to go."