It seemed like there would be nothing more poetic than the Miami Hurricanes winning their sixth National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium while celebrating 100 years of the University.
Unfortunately, it just wasn’t meant to be.
The Indiana Hoosiers claimed their first National Title in program history in one of the most remarkable stories in sports, defeating the Hurricanes 27-21 on the evening of Jan. 19.
Still, Miami’s run to the National Championship game was historic–sneaking its way into the CFP, defeating No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 6 Ole Miss while being the underdog for the most part.
Here’s what we learned from the Hurricanes as the 2025 season comes to an end.
Indiana beat Miami at its own game
Coming into this matchup, Indiana was flawless — the No.1 team in the nation with a sparkling 15-0 record which included beatdowns of Alabama and Oregon en route to the CFP Final.
Led by head coach Curt Cignetti and Heisman winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the Hoosiers prided themselves all season on clinical execution and ruthless aggression in all facets of the game.
And in the Hurricanes’ own backyard at Hard Rock Stadium, Indiana took Miami’s identity and made it its own — a consistent rushing force that just wears down the opponent.
While the stats don’t jump off the page with less than 150 yards on the ground, it was the way the Hoosiers managed the run game that was so demoralizing for Miami.
Whenever there was a key play, whenever there was a chance for Miami to get off the field, IU’s Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black would charge straight through the A-gap to extend the drive.
Even Mendoza got in on the action as he barged through multiple Hurricane defenders as part of a 17-yard QB scramble to extend the Hoosier lead to 10.
Establishing the run early gave Indiana all it needed to outlast the ’Canes despite their best efforts to overcome all night.
Miami beat itself
Despite all the execution from Cignetti’s bunch, the Hurricanes ultimately beat themselves.
Out of the gate Miami came out scared, unable to get comfortable in the first half which included multiple three-and-outs.
There wasn’t a reliance on the run game early, which forced obvious passing downs where Carson Beck consistently threw into dangerous windows.
Miami only had a 27.3% conversion rate on third down, converting just three times on the night with none of them in the first half.
Simultaneously on the defensive side, the Hurricanes surrendered multiple penalties which extended Hoosier drives.
But there wasn’t a moment more crucial than Miami’s attempted punt late in the third quarter.
After an unsuccessful drive, UM looked to punt and live another day — but tight end Alex Bauman missed his assignment as Indiana’s Mikail Kamara slipped past to swat Dylan Joyce’s punt into the dirt.
IU’s Isaiah Jones fell onto the ball in the end zone, sending the Hoosier crowd into a frenzy as Indiana took a 17-7 lead.
When one considers the ’Canes only lost by six points, the scoop-and-score looms ominously as the moment the National Title slipped away.
The Hurricanes will be back
Despite losing stud veterans like Beck, Rueben Bain, Francis Mauigoa, and Akheem Mesidor, Miami will be reloading with talent in 2026.
In 2026, the Hurricanes will have returns of Mark Fletcher Jr., Malachi Toney, a majority of the secondary room and will be adding a top-10 ranked recruiting class in 2026.
The culture is still there and it was built from the guys that have been around since Mario Cristobal took over the job in 2022 — a culture that continues to extend day-by-day.
Next season, the Hurricanes have all the reason in the world to get over the final hurdle. Still, Cristobal knows the journey won’t be easy.
“That’s the biggest misconception in sports — ‘well, they almost got there, they’ll be back next year.’ That’s a bunch of bull,” Cristobal said after the game. “You’ve got to improve from a roster standpoint, a regimen standpoint, discipline, everything, and move forward.”
This mentality Cristobal leads with is exactly the reason Miami will be back. Too often over the past few decades, the Hurricanes would feel sorry for themselves after a loss and turn it into more losing.
Now under Cristobal, whenever the ’Canes get knocked down, they bounce right back up, brush themselves off and go to work.
That’s the new standard for Hurricane football, and it will have all the talent and motivation in the world to get the job done next year.
