MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JANUARY 19: Head coach Mario Cristobal of the Miami Hurricanes is interviewed during the post- game press conference after losing to the Indiana Hoosiers 27-21 in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium on January 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida.  (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)

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Cole Sullivan

By Cole Sullivan

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The Miami Hurricanes left it all on the field Monday night, suffering a gut-wrenching 27-21 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers in the national championship game.

Miami had a chance to tie or take the lead down six with 1:42 remaining and no timeouts. However, after driving the offense to midfield, quarterback Carson Beck was intercepted on a deep pass that appeared to be a miscommunication with the wide receiver, effectively ending the game.

Despite the heartbreaking finish — and a remarkable season in which Miami won three College Football Playoff games as underdogs — head coach Mario Cristobal placed the blame squarely on himself.

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“I’ll take the blame for it,” Cristobal said. “We were one drive short of winning a national championship.”

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MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: Head coach Mario Cristobal of the Miami Hurricanes is interviewed during the post- game press conference after losing to the Indiana Hoosiers 27-21 in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium on January 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida.  (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)

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Cristobal played for Miami from 1989 to 1992, winning two national championships during his time with the program. When he became head coach, he had one clear goal — to bring the Hurricanes back to national relevance, something the program had struggled to sustain over the past two to three decades.

He has now done exactly that, putting together a stellar season from start to finish and guiding Miami to the brink of a national title before ultimately coming up just one drive short on college football’s biggest stage.

“It’s not the result we wanted. Credit to Indiana; they’re a great football team,” Cristobal said postgame. “But to these guys right here, I couldn’t be more proud to be associated with them. I love them. They’re absolutely incredible human beings, competitors, resilient, and I want to thank them and the rest of their teammates. It’s a tough one — tough one to have to eat — but we will. That’s it.”

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