MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium could feature a matchup years in the making — and one rooted in a coaching decision that reshaped two programs.
The Miami Hurricanes are one win away from playing for the national title in their home state after edging Ole Miss 31-27 in the Fiesta Bowl, a gritty semifinal victory that underscored the program’s long-awaited return to the sport’s elite. Now the Hurricanes await the outcome of Friday night’s Peach Bowl, where Oregon faces Indiana. A Ducks victory would set up a championship game with layered history: Miami vs. Oregon, coached by Mario Cristobal against the program he once led.
Cristobal, who left Oregon after the 2021 season, has engineered Miami’s rise with a physical brand of football that mirrors the Hurricanes teams of old. He was named Miami’s head coach on Dec. 6, 2021, replacing Manny Diaz and signing a 10-year, $80 million contract that signaled the university’s commitment to reclaiming national relevance.
“It’s about standards,” Cristobal said after the Fiesta Bowl. “This program has them, and our players believe in them.”
The Hurricanes (14-1) leaned on a punishing running game and timely defense to survive Ole Miss, stopping a late Rebels drive inside the red zone. Miami’s balance — controlling the line of scrimmage while limiting mistakes — has been a season-long theme under Cristobal, whose teams are known for discipline and toughness.
Hard Rock Stadium, just miles from Miami’s campus, would offer a de facto home-field advantage in the championship game. The Hurricanes have not played for a national title since the 2002 season and have not won one since 2001.
If Oregon advances, the storyline writes itself. Cristobal led the Ducks from 2018 to 2021, winning two Pac-12 titles before departing for his alma mater. Oregon quickly turned to Dan Lanning, the former Georgia defensive coordinator, who has since kept the Ducks among the nation’s elite with an aggressive, fast-paced style.
Lanning has often acknowledged Cristobal’s role in building Oregon’s foundation, but a title game matchup would be less about sentiment and more about contrasting identities — Miami’s bruising efficiency versus Oregon’s speed and versatility.
Indiana, however, stands in the way. The Hoosiers have already shattered expectations this season and would bring their own underdog narrative to the championship if they upset Oregon.
For Miami, the focus remains narrow. The Hurricanes took the one step they needed to play in college football’s biggest game on familiar turf, with a chance to complete a resurgence years in the making — and perhaps do it against the coach’s former team, under the lights, with a national title at stake.
