History beckons in Coral Gables. After surviving Ole Miss, Mario Cristobal and his squad are ready to lift the championship trophy against Indiana, ending their title drought stretching back to 2001. But to make it happen, the Hurricanes must dominate the trenches and follow two crucial pieces of advice from analyst Eric Mac Lain.

 “You cannot let him (Fernando Mendoza) just sit back there and play quarterback,” ESPN analyst Eric Mac Lain said on Gramlich and Mac Lain podcast.  “You have to force him to create; you have to contain him. It’s not necessarily the same principles as a week ago, but it’s similar. You have to hit him. You have to let him feel you and get to him. I mean, sack him, get them down, get the ball out.”

Miami’s biggest edge is its defensive line under coordinator Corey Hetherman. As they have allowed just 14 points per game and rank top 15 nationally in success rate, while generating constant pressure with 47 sacks. That’s exactly what they need to do against Fernando Mendoza.

Their remarkable showing came against Texas A&M this season when Miami held a team averaging 36.3 points per game to just one field goal. Hetherman’s system thrives on three things: forcing turnovers, pressuring the quarterback, and limiting explosive plays. If that momentum remains the same, then it’s going to be a major issue for Curt Cignetti’s team.

Knowing Mendoza’s ability to tackle the pressure of making tough throws even when defenders rush him. One of the key moments came against Penn State when he stayed composed and delivered the game-winning touchdown in a 27-24 win. So, constantly pressuring him should be Miami’s top priority.

Mendoza got himself in trouble against Oregon during the second quarter when, on a third and 7, he felt the pressure from Oregon LB Nasir Wyatt, who sacked him and forced a fumble, but later on Mendoza recovered it. So it’s important that Miami doesn’t give him a chance to recover.

Then comes in their ability to put up a strong running game that can made things tough for Indiana.

 “You have to play the style of football similar in regards to sharpness that you played against Ohio state and the dominance of Ohio state and, Ole Miss from a running perspective,” Lain added.

Even offensively, they are strong, allowing just 19 sacks all season while paving the way for a powerful run game led by Mark Fletcher and CharMar Brown. This season, 54% of rushing attempts go between the tackles, producing 57% of the team’s rushing yards at 4.67 yards per carry. On top of it, players like Fletcher dominated tough games, rushing for 133 yards on the ground against Ole Miss.

He recorded five 100-yard rushing games this season. So, his game is going to turn things around for Miami against Indiana. Even Brown dominates the ground by rushing for 965 yards and 14 touchdowns on 189 carries. It will be interesting to see how they come up strong against Indiana’s defense. With that push, Cristobal might also get a QB target in.

Mario Cristobal can turn to a surprising QB target

Miami once again finds itself searching for a new quarterback to fill up Carson Beck’s spot as he transitions to the NFL in 2026. After missing out on their top QB target from the portal, Sam Leavitt, as he moved from Arizona State to LSU. Knowing the Hurricanes’ history of relying on transfer QBs like Beck and Cam Ward, losing Leavitt to the Tigers is a massive blow.

Now, after missing out on Leavitt, Mario Cristobal’s team might benefit from eyeing a younger QB with more years of eligibility left. And USC quarterback Husan Longstreet fits the bill perfectly. He entered the portal after Jayden Maiava decided to return for a third season. Now, getting Longstreet will give Miami continuity, as he has four full years left.

He brings in elite talent and long-term potential. As per 247sports, he ranks as the No. 6 quarterback and No. 19 overall prospect in the current transfer portal class. He appeared in four games during the 2025 season, completing 86.7 percent of his passes for 103 yards and one touchdown while adding 76 rushing yards and two scores on 11 carries.

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Getting a younger QB with fewer reps can push Mario Cristobal out of his comfort zone, but taking a bet can turn things around for them, looking at the portal chaos and teams grabbing top QBs already.