The Miami Hurricanes are in the College Football Playoff for the first time in team history. Not only are they just in it - the Canes are halfway through the four-game gauntlet to claim a national title.
But when was the last time Miami football won a national championship?
It came in 2001 when Ken Dorsey, Andre Johnson, and co. knocked off then 11-1 Nebraska in the 2001 Rose Bowl 37-14.
Of course that '01 team is one of the most stacked rosters in the college football history.
Clinton Portis led a running back room that included Frank Gore and Willis McGahee, the aforementioned Johnson and tight end Jeremy Shockey were its leading receivers, while Kellen Winslow sat behind Shockey in his freshman year.
Defensively, Vince Wilfork and Jonathan Vilma led a violent group that included Ed Reed and Antrel Rolle in the secondary. Oh, also Sean Taylor was waiting in the ranks behind Reed.
The 2000-2002 Miami teams had a 34-game winning streak at a point in time and made the National Championship once again in 2002 before the streak was snapped by the Ohio State Buckeyes in an overtime thriller.
Since then, Miami football hasn't looked the same. After head coach Larry Coker was let go in 2006, Randy Shannon, Al Golden, Mark Richt, Manny Diaz have all come and gone with little success to write home about.
Insert Mario Cristobal who has turned this program around. He inherited a mess in 2022 and went 5-7, but they've gone 22-5 since 2024 and are looking to add a piece of significant piece of hardware to their trophy case that includes five total national titles.
Miami Hurricanes 2025 CFB Playoff results
Round | Opponent | Score |
First Round | Texas A&M | 10-3 |
Quarterfinals | Ohio State | 24-14 |
Semifinals | Ole Miss | ?? |
These Canes are built off the same formula that won in 2001 - toughness.
Studs on the defensive line such as Reuben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor constantly give offensive lines fits, while a ball-hawking secondary includes true freshman Bryce Fitzgerald who had two picks in the first round.
Offensively, the massive 6'2, 225 lb Mark Fletcher Jr. is extremely difficult to tackle and he has an o-line in front of him that may be the best unit in college football.
Wide receiver C.J. Daniels is a reliable target while Malachi Toney provides a big-play ability that is hard to match.
Quarterback Carson Beck is the wildcard here; he has a tendency of turning the ball over, but was brilliant against Ohio State. He's good in the short-passing game and has a capable-enough arm to find targets deep. His intermediate accuracy can be an issue at times, but he did a great job using his legs on third downs rather than putting the ball in harms way.
They get a matchup against the Ole Miss Rebels in the semifinals tonight, Jan. 8, at 7:30 PM ET.
