Miami HC Mario Cristobal framed Miami’s College Football Playoff selection as a matter of truth, not luck. Hours after the committee placed the Hurricanes ahead of Notre Dame for the final playoff berth, he delivered a pointed, precise message on ESPN. 

“The truth always comes out,” that’s the 5-word message that Mario Cristobal told ESPN about the controversy. It’s an unmistakable jab at Marcus Freeman and anyone arguing the Irish had been wronged. 

“I wasn’t shocked,” he said. “And I’ll say this, I felt all along that we were presenting information while others were presenting a case or somehow just creating a narrative to try to take shots at the fact, so we weren’t shocked.” 

He added that the committee “abided by the criteria,” a reference to the sport’s most basic tiebreaker which is head-to-head. And that reminder is exactly where the argument intensifies.

The Hurricanes’ 27-24 win over Notre Dame in the season opener became the defining point of separation, according to the CFP committee. Both teams finished 10-2, both closed strong, and both produced playoff-level film over the final month. But with identical records and no league title game for Notre Dame, the September result carried the deciding weight. Still, the committee’s reliance on that single data point continues to divide analysts.

Notre Dame’s supporters argue the Irish were the hotter team, looking nearly untouchable since their Sept. 13 loss to Texas A&M. Weekly CFP rankings also consistently placed them ahead of Miami until selection day, adding to the belief that Marcus Freeman’s group had positioned itself cleanly inside the playoff bracket. Their resume mirrored Miami’s in strength and balance, strengthening the assumption that momentum would push them over the line. Instead, Mario Cristobal’s confidence and the committee’s criteria rewrote the prediction.

The two teams now enter an offseason defined by public disagreement and internal motivation. They meet again next Nov. 7 in South Bend next year, and given Mario Cristobal’s comments, the buildup will carry personal undertones. The debate may fade, but the resentment will not.