Recruiting wins and losses have a long memory in college football, but they don’t always come with resentment. Two years after elite in-state wide receiver Jeremiah Smith chose Ohio State over Miami, Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal isn’t dwelling on what went wrong or what might have been; instead, he’s offering praise for Smith’s accomplishments.

“Obviously, he’s a great player, an elite player,” Mario Cristobal shared. “Elite family, and that comes with recruiting. And certainly, whenever you don’t have a recruiting win, if you really are in it for the right reasons, you wish a player and his family the best. And he’s certainly done a great job. ”

In less than 48 hours, Jeremiah Smith will be facing off against home-state Miami for the Cotton Bowl at Arlington. The nail-biting contest will determine which program advances closer to the national championship. With the stakes ridiculously high, it almost feels surreal that Smith might have played for the Hurricanes if Miami’s fortune had struck gold two years ago.

Hailing from Hollywood, Jeremiah Smith lived barely forty-five minutes away from the Hurricanes. Coach Cristobal had the nation’s No. 1 wide receiver just across his backyard, but when the time came, Miami’s poor 7-6 turnover cost him more than just a five-star recruit. It cost them college football’s most coveted $4.3 million receiver.

For Smith, Miami made for a potential college football prospect. Being so close to his hometown, the Hurricanes had a natural appeal. But a closer look revealed the same cracks that ultimately checked off Coral Gables on his list.

Miami had been struggling. In December 2021, armed with his offensive genius and an $80 million contract, Mario Cristobal arrived in Miami. However, it took some time before things finally got underway. The roster was still adjusting; Still developing in the aftermath of Manny Diaz’s firing.

The 55-year-old head coach extensively utilized the transfer portal to replenish the talent- a process that demanded patience. Miami would eventually win, make the top ten AP poll rankings, and earn a playoff berth. But it would take time- something which Cristobal didn’t have while recruiting Smith.

“Miami was really close,” Smith said at his team’s Cotton Bowl media day. “That night, I had some thoughts about it. Then I woke up in the morning. I really had some really good thoughts about it. After I took my midterm exam, called my agent, called my dad. And just thinking about staying home. (I) had some tough conversations with my dad, uncle, agent.”

Two years later, OSU’s Smith has struck gold with his mettle. However, a 10-2 Miami has also entered the national conversation as well. After plucking elite talent such as Cam Ward and Carson Beck, Miami was looking ahead to better days. With a strong focus on landing elite talent on offense, the head coach hired DC Corey Hetherman to elevate the defense. This recruiting cycle, he further splurged money to onboard the nation’s No. 1 offensive lineman (reportedly $2 million), Jackson Cantwell, to strengthen the O-line.

The 2025 season has been an absolute success. Miami posted a 10-2 record and crawled its way into the playoffs after beating Notre Dame in a head-to-head contest. If the Hurricanes had posted such impressive stats back then, Smith might have headed towards Coral Gables.

“I probably would’ve ended up going to Miami if things were on the right track then and there,” he admitted. “But I chose to stick with Ohio State.

Mario Cristobal gets candid on facing Jeremiah Smith & OSU

The Miami Hurricanes are entering the Cotton Bowl as the underdogs, holding a 29.5% winning percentage according to ESPN’s matchup predictor. However, after clawing past Notre Dame, Mario Cristobal’s locker room is determined not to let that hard-earned playoff berth go to waste.

“The entire roster for our opponent is extremely talented,” Coach Cristobal shared. “They’re really well-coached. They have challenging schemes. And again, our guys have prepared really, really hard. We continue to prepare. This is obviously a big preparation day for us as well. And certainly, again, they’re the defending national champions. So just an unbelievable opportunity for our program.”

As the high-stakes clash looms closer, the Cotton Bowl will undoubtedly evoke nostalgia from the 2003 BCS national championship title. Ohio State beat Miami in a 31-24 contest, breaking its 34-game winning streak.

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Can Miami set the record straight this time?