Miami head coach Mario Cristobal had a major opportunity to seize the national title, but the Hurricanes narrowly failed. Regardless, the team’s belief in their abilities remained high. It grew after former Miami defensive tackle Dwayne Johnson appeared in a social media post 24 hours before kickoff, adding extra fuel to the Hurricanes’ motivation to bring the title home.

“Mario Cristobal, my brother, my teammate. I’m so proud of you. I’m so proud of my Miami Hurricanes,” said Johnson in a video on X. ” Our entire city is so proud of you, everything you’ve had to overcome, and everything you’ve had to endure this entire season being the underdog.”

“It’s the way we like it. And going into this game, just remember, you’re going to get tired. But just keep this in mind. Number one, history always watches, and you got one night to leave it all on the field,” Johnson added.

Miami was chasing the history it last made in the 2001 season. Since then, the Hurricanes have only been able to reach the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, but couldn’t finish the job. This season, a battle-tested Miami team, riding an underdog run, beat teams like OSU, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss to reach the National Championship game against the Hoosiers.

“Indiana ain’t going to lay down, but neither are we, and we’re playing at home. So when you get tired, and you get fatigued out there, just remember what an honor and a privilege it is to be tired and to be fatigued for doing the thing that you dreamed about doing when you were a kid,” added Johnson.

The Hollywood star’s words suggested that Mario Cristobal needed to channel the Hurricanes’ 1991 national championship standard. At the time, Cristobal was a starting offensive lineman and an All-Conference selection, while Johnson played defensive tackle.

While both know what it takes to play for and win a national title, Miami had all the tools to challenge Indiana this season. They gave the Hoosiers a pretty tough challenge despite trailing 10-0 at halftime, but the game ended with them losing 27-21.

The team had stars at every level. Transfer QB Carson Beck threw for 3,581 yards, carving up defenses with precision. Then, RB Mark Fletcher Jr. rumbled for 1,080 yards, turning tough yards into highlight reels. And the D-line with Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor combined for 19 sacks, wrecking QBs and controlling the trenches.

For the Hurricanes, the key lay in slowing down QB Fernando Mendoza. If Miami’s defense could have disrupted him early, it could have grinded the Hoosiers’ offense to a halt. This season, the Hurricanes have generated pressure on 45% of opposing dropbacks, the 11th-highest rate in the FBS, and by far the most pressure IU has faced all year in this championship matchup.

Still, Indiana made it count, beating Miami in the national title game. Despite Hollywood star Dwayne Johnson not being in attendance, busy filming Jumanji, he still supported the Hurricanes in spirit. But Mario Cristobal’s dream of a national championship at home wasn’t fulfilled this time, even though he came so close.

Cristobal’s journey to this point, however, was far from smooth. Years of struggle and relentless work shaped the coach he is today.

Mario Cristobal’s journey to date

Mario Cristobal’s Miami journey was forged in frustration before it ever touched glory. In 2022, nine games into his tenure, the Hurricanes were reeling. While losses piled up, criticism followed. But Cristobal didn’t flinch.

“I don’t get down. I get pissed and determined,” he said then.

What looked like failure became fuel. Three years later, he’s standing on the edge of delivering the vision he promised, restoring Miami to the top. However, the road back wasn’t smooth.

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Still, Cristobal leaned into the pressure and sold his team a simple message: nobody believes in you; prove them wrong. Here, Miami responded with seven straight wins and two CFP victories as an underdog. Now, a national title game at home.

Cristobal doesn’t call it magic; he calls it commitment. And Cristobal is Miami, in every sense. Raised by Cuban immigrant parents and molded by the Hurricanes of the late ’80s and early ’90s, he became a two-time national champion as a player and an All-Big East lineman.

“It shaped my DNA,” said Cristobal of his time at Miami. “Everything I believe in.”

That belief followed him everywhere before eventually bringing him back home as a head coach. Still, there’s always hope for next time.