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No. 10 Miami is headed to the national championship, but Mario Cristobal wanted to make sure his guys didn’t celebrate early.
The Hurricanes took the lead with 18 seconds remaining after Carson Beck rushed to score with the left side of the court wide open.
After taking a 27-24 lead, an assistant approached the head coach and hugged him 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 in the College Football Playoff semifinal game at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on January 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
But Cristobal wasn’t having it.
Almost immediately, Cristobal broke free from the embrace and assaulted the coach, perhaps knowing that anything could happen given how many goals had already occurred in the fourth quarter.
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal gestures to 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, marked by four lead changes. Ole Miss took the lead with a field goal, but Miami responded with a 36-yard touchdown run by Malachi Toney to lead 24-19. Minutes later, the Rebels scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion to lead 27-24.
It was up to Beck and the Miami offense to keep the game alive. Beck drove down the field and, fittingly, Beck, scanning the field, found a seam to his left and sprinted toward the colored paint to score the game-winning goal with 18 seconds remaining. This led to the hug that Cristobal wanted no 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 space to throw a pass toward the end zone, and although it was hit by a teammate’s hand, it landed incomplete for Miami’s victory.
In all likelihood, Cristobal and the assistant coach shared a long embrace while 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 game at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on January 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Miami will face the winner of No. 1 Indiana and No. 5 Oregon on Friday in the national title game on Jan. 19, which will be played at its own Hard Rock Stadium in South Florida.
