Brandon Odoi

feature February 11, 20260

Ten Hotbed Showcase Bloodline Members Receive NFL Combine Invites

Follow Football Hotbed just joined some elite company. This year, 10 athletes who previously competed on the Football Hotbed showcase platform earned invitations to the NFL Scouting Combine—putting our “program” in the same numerical conversation as many of the top college football brands in the country. If Football Hotbed were a college, these 10 invites would place us alongside some of the most productive pipelines to the NFL in this year’s draft cycle.Our “QB room” features Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), who appeared in our High School Showcase Sophomore Game, giving him an early stage to develop the poise and presence now on display at the national level. In the backfield, CJ Donaldson (Ohio State) represents our “running back tradition,” first flashing his potential in the Middle School All-American Game and now carrying it all the way to the Combine.At tight end, Football Hotbed’s “TE factory” includes Tanner Koziol (Houston), who used the High School Showcase Junior Game to refine his skills as a versatile, physical target. Up front, our “defensive line unit” stacks up with the best in the country: Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami), a product of both the Freshman All-American Game and College Tour, plus Tyreak Sapp (Florida), who came through the Middle School All-American Game, and Zion Young (Missouri), an alum of the High School Showcase Sophomore Game. For any traditional college, three defensive linemen in one Combine class would be a headline; for Football Hotbed, it showcases the strength of our trenches.Our “linebacker room” is headlined by Wesley Bissainthe (Miami), who progressed through both the Middle School All-American Game and the High School Showcase Sophomore Game—mirroring the kind of multi-year development path top college programs love to promote. On the back end, our “DB room” boasts Jalon Kilgore (South Carolina), a High School Showcase Sophomore Game standout, and D’Angelo Ponds (Indiana), who emerged from the National Middle School Invitational Showcase. Together, they represent the kind of versatile, competitive defensive back pipeline that many Power Four programs strive to build.Even on special teams, Football Hotbed stacks up like a top-tier program. Specialist Ryan Eckley (Michigan State), who developed through the Middle School All-American Game and National Specialist Showcase, mirrors the way elite colleges highlight their punters and kickers as key weapons in the field-position battle.When you look at the numbers, the picture is clear: 10 NFL Combine invitees from one developmental platform places Football Hotbed in rare air. While traditional colleges count their success in draft picks and Combine invites, we can now point to a comparable level of impact—earned not at the college level, but years earlier in an athlete’s journey.If we were listed on the same graphic as this year’s top colleges by Combine invites, Football Hotbed would stand shoulder to shoulder with some of the biggest brands in the sport. That is the true significance of these 10 invitations: they prove that our showcases don’t just mirror the intensity and expectations of top college programs—they help build the athletes those programs and, ultimately, the NFL covet.

ACC College Football FBS feature January 20, 20260

Indiana Holds of Miami for a 27-21 National Championship Win

Follow In a College Football Playoff National Championship that will be remembered for its drama, legacy and unexpected storylines, the Miami Hurricanes came up just short in a 27-21 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami, vying for its first national title since 2001, fought with heart and grit, but an undefeated Indiana squad — led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza — had just enough in the tank to secure the Hoosiers’ first national championship in program history.From the opening whistle, Indiana took charge. The Hoosiers jumped out to a 10-0 lead before halftime and never relinquished control. Miami’s defense, which had been one of the nation’s stingiest throughout the season, faced its toughest test of the year against a poised, explosive Indiana offense. Despite the Hurricanes’ best efforts — including two second-half rushing touchdowns by running back Mark Fletcher Jr. — Indiana’s balanced attack and opportunistic defense kept Miami at bay.The defining moment of the game — and the season — came midway through the fourth quarter. On fourth-and-4, with Indiana clinging to a slim edge, Mendoza took the snap and ripped off a 12-yard touchdown run, barreling through would-be tacklers and stretching the ball across the goal line with sheer force and determination. The sequence became an instant classic, encapsulating his competitive spirit and the Hoosiers’ Cinderella run.Mendoza’s performance was emblematic of his entire season: clutch when it mattered most. Finishing the game with 186 passing yards and that memorable rushing score, he was named the offensive MVP and cemented his status as one of the top NFL draft prospects in the 2026 class.For Football Hotbed readers, Mendoza’s rise carries a special meaning. Long before he was leading Indiana on college football’s biggest stage, Mendoza made a name for himself on the Football Hotbed national showcase circuit. As a high school standout out of Miami’s Christopher Columbus High School, he took part in Football Hotbed’s National Sophomore Showcase, an event designed to expose emerging talent to college recruiters and national audiences.The platform played a vital role early in his development, giving college programs a closer look at his unique blend of size, arm talent and athleticism. Though he was a two-star prospect coming out of high school, Mendoza’s early exposure helped him garner attention that eventually led to scholarship offers and, ultimately, his collegiate path that saw him develop into a Heisman Trophy winner and national champion.Miami’s season will go down as a triumphant return to relevance — the Hurricanes reestablished themselves among college football’s elite and battled all the way to the title game. But on this night, it was the story of an underdog program and a Football Hotbed alum who defied expectations that stole the spotlight.

Brandon Odoi College Football Division II January 12, 20260

CFP National Championship Coverage: Head Coach Presser-Mario Cristobal

Follow Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. transcript: mario cristobal presesr Monday jan 12 THE MODERATOR: We’re joined by University of Miamicoach, Mario Cristobal.MARIO CRISTOBAL: I’m proud of our football team forbattling hard against an excellent Ole Miss squad. Andcertainly a lot of credit to them. But credit to our guys forfinding a way to be 1-0 and earning ourselves anotheropportunity this coming — a week from today, Monday.Q. Curious, you’ve gotten into this routine the last fewweeks knowing you’re going to take a flight on theroad and play a do-or-die game. How does it changewhat that game is at home, the routine of it, thepattern, the structure as you prepare for this game?MARIO CRISTOBAL: The routine doesn’t change at all. It’s almost identical because you do have to check into ahotel, a specific hotel on a specific date.The only thing that changes is that classes have started,and we have, I believe, 28 new members — 28 of the 29,29 of the 30 — new members of our team here practicingwith us, which is great for us. As the year goes on we’velost some guys to injury. And they’ve been able to get aglimpse of what preparation is like.But aside from that and preparing for a game, nothingchanges.Q. Can you sort of update us on where you guys arefrom an injury standpoint? And, two, along the lines ofthe last question, how do you ensure that your teamdoesn’t have an exhale. Like, okay, you’re in the final,you’re back at Hard Rock, how do you keep that edge?MARIO CRISTOBAL: Well, from an injury standpoint, Ibelieve we’re coming out a lot like we went into the lastgame. I know a couple of guys skimped out of the game. Mesidor is in great condition. He hurt his elbow for asecond and he’s already full throttle. Ahmad Moten wasfull throttle today. And O.J. came out. Lofton will be theone that’s in question. That would be the one that’s inquestion. Aside from that, I actually feel really good aboutthe rest.Q. I think you guys mentioned O.J. and potentiallyDamari Brown. I know he’s been working his way backthroughout playoffs.MARIO CRISTOBAL: I would say O.J. is good to go, andDamari Brown will still be day-by-day.Q. We’ve talked so much about the alumni on thesideline and the support you get from there, but theuniversity standpoint, Joe Echevarria being on thesideline, and him and Dan Radakovich being in lockstep, how important is it in this day and age for theuniversity side and athletic side to sort of being handin hand with things? And what have you seen fromthat and how much has that helped the programdevelop?MARIO CRISTOBAL: That’s everything as it relates toputting together a program. Whether it’s rebuilding one orsustaining one, vertical alignment is at the forefront ofmaking a decision to go to a place or staying out of place.Without that, it doesn’t work because the investment from apeople standpoint, a time standpoint, a money standpoint,is immense. Unless everybody is going in the samedirection, it doesn’t work no matter how much time andeffort you put into it.We’re extremely blessed to have someone like Joeheading up the university, and of course Dan Radakovichhas done a great job. And we grind. And, again, veryappreciative of them and all they do.Q. You guys coming home to play in this game,two-part question, there’s a lot of family connectionshere, whether kids played at Central or Chaminade orwhatever local high school, so maybe a lot of thatfamily stuff around here. How special is it for the localkids on your team? And then, of course, for you aswell, a lot of Columbus representation on both sidescoming into this?MARIO CRISTOBAL: It’s always special when you get toplay with or against guys that you know or knew growingup, competed against, played on the same teams with.At the end of the day, your preparation doesn’t change,your intensity is always driven up the closer and closer youget to game time and as you go deeper into the season.We all know the brand of football played down here inSouth Florida is special. It shows up year in, year out atevery level, college and pro, certainly at the high schoollevel. Certainly an exciting time at South Florida.Q. Overall, playing a home game for a nationalchampionship is a good thing. But with that can comepotential distractions, et cetera. I’m curious, how doyou preach to your team about not allowing thosedistractions to creep in?MARIO CRISTOBAL: Sure. I mean, they aren’t reallydistractions. You either create them or you don’t. It’s onpeople. So we get out ahead of that. That’s one of the stronger, Iwould say, points of emphasis as you begin the week. Distractions and things and people have never been a partof the journey; you can’t let them become a part of it now.From the simplicity of getting an email to parents, take careof tickets by tomorrow because we don’t want your sonsrunning around and trying to figure other things out. Theyalready have school. We have to prepare for an awesomeopportunity.We preach it. We teach it, and then we go and we getaway from everybody, just like we did a couple weeks ago,the last couple of weeks when we went on the road.That’s where I know the process was asked about earlier,it’s no different. You’ve just got to shut out the outsideworld and go to work.Q. Practices will still be here?MARIO CRISTOBAL: They will. That’s awesome for usagain with the start of school, but we’ll be practicing righthere.Q. Can you put in words why you think this team hasbeen able to make a run to get to this point? Why doyou think they’ve been able to accomplish what they’veaccomplished thus far?MARIO CRISTOBAL: I think it’s a process and a recipethat has stood the test of time. I think hard work and greatpeople, getting after it relentlessly, I think that’s anundefeated combination, as it relates to progress andadvancement and eventually success. So, I think it’s atribute to that, the people.Again, I have the fortune, the privilege of being up here infront of you guys and addressing questions. But it’s notme, just me, there’s so many people that are involved.I think the collaboration of like-minded people, highachievers that are really driven to push forward a programto help these young men develop at the highest level onand off the field. A care factor that’s through the roof and adie-hard belief in the University of Miami, bleeding orangeand green through all of us, I think that’s what has reallyforged our progress forward as we continue to try to getbetter. And we certainly have a long ways to go.Q. What was tough about building culture for everyorganization? Obviously you built a culture here, but itseems like a lot of players are always grasping(indiscernible) characteristic of very cool, calm andcollected. Just talk about that a little bit, how yourplayers are kind of embracing your mindset of beingvery cool and calm.MARIO CRISTOBAL: I think we’re all very similar. We alllove football. Absolutely love it. We also understand theimportance of being a good person and really embrace theconcept of gratitude.In a day and age where things move fast, people movefast, then we found out early on, exactly it was a year tothis day where this team first got together. And then aweek from now we get to play one last time together.I think early on in that process, a year ago, in January, thisteam started figuring out, you know, this is — everyone hashope in January, right, when you start the initial process ofa new season.But it was more than hope. I think we recognized early onthis is a unique group of individuals and that the work ethicwas through the roof. The appetite for the grind was legitand real.So, I think because we’re like that, because we don’t mindgetting pushed, because we don’t — we’re not easilyoffended — correction, and confrontation in a positive way– truth telling is a staple of our program and we appreciatethat. We appreciate feedback and growth anddevelopment. I think that’s what drives us, whether we completely agreeon something, whether it’s a perfect day or whether it’s achallenging day, we all know that we’re in it for the rightreasons.Q. Seems like Mark Fletcher is playing his bestfootball since he’s been here. What have you seenclick for him or really work for him over the last monthor so since the playoffs started?MARIO CRISTOBAL: I think a couple things. Goodquestion. I think the fact that he’s healthy. I thinkdevelopment. I think everybody wants to see a freshmanknock it out of the park right away. It’s not always the wayit’s supposed to be or the way it ends up happening.A guy that has been in the system in his third year that hasseen similar schemes that has run behind certain guys,that has seen certain calls against certain fronts, certainpressures, a guy that has protected against every blitzknown to man, like, day after day, year after year, there’snothing more valuable than the mother of all teaching andlearning. That’s the repetition.And Mark Fletcher has had hundreds and thousands ofrepetitions. And when you do that, and when you’ve beenthrough what he’s been through, it just means that muchmore. And it shows in the way he approaches everythingthat he does. So I think it’s a combination of all thosethings is what’s showing up.Q. All over social media I’ve been seeing a lot of theclips of the friendship that Malichi Toney and MarkFletcher have. Can you talk about that friendship andhow it influences the rest of the team?MARIO CRISTOBAL: It’s a strong friendship and one thatalso brings out the best in each other. I think that you’relooking at two individuals that are highly motivated, supertalented, that were — they were Hurricanes forever.And they’ve brought their mentality, their level of play, theirdrive, their motivation, and a lot of that has permeated therooms. And their teammates, they look up to theirteammates and their teammates look up to them.They are just great ambassadors for the program, for theirfamilies. I mean, they’re awesome, and their impact ismassive.Q. What did you learn from your time as the headcoach at FIU in terms of just being a head coach andwhat that entails and how it all played out there?MARIO CRISTOBAL: It’s the ultimate experience in cuttingyour teeth. You have to do everything when you take overa situation like that.I don’t know how much of it is documented, but when youtake over a program that I think hadn’t won a game inalmost two years, was going to make the jump from alower division to Division I, and then literally the schedulewith games against Miami, Florida, Arkansas, you name it– and also before even having a single practice, started with a five-year probation, 17 ineligible players and a contemporaneous penalty regarding the APR, whichmeans any player that’s not eligible per semester, you losea scholarship. So, I probably got more into this than you were hoping for. But it’s the ultimate challenge. And you find out truly whatyou’re made of and who has your back.You start finding out everything that goes with collegefootball. How the bursar’s office works, how registrationand academics and the department and supervision andRAs and recruiting budgets and travel.And you have to do everything, every single part of it. Youhave to be a coach, you have to be a CFO, CEO, aprovost. You have to do it all.So, a tremendous blessing. And really the biggest blessingwas the players and the people that we had there becausethey were able to take what was historically the worstprogram in the country in a short period of time andactually win their first conference championship. And itwas super rewarding, the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. It waspretty cool.Q. When you got let go a lot of people disagreed withthat. I’m sure you did as well. How did that kind ofshape you as a coach as well?MARIO CRISTOBAL: You know, I’m pretty stubborn. Always have been stubborn. In my mind, we were going towin a national championship there. And people would lookat me like I was crazy.Sometimes if you don’t move and God wants you to move,he’ll kick you so you can move. For whatever reason,that’s the way it worked out. And it was a blessingbecause I had the opportunity to go learn under CoachSaban, and then eventually end up at the University ofOregon. Blessed to be there. And it all led back here tothe University of Miami.At the time, you can’t see that. You can’t see straight whensomething like that happens, especially when you investevery waking moment of your life into it. But I thank Godthat it did.Q. Doing a story on the fact that you played withFernando’s dad. Any recollections of playing withhim? What was that like when you guys playedtogether?MARIO CRISTOBAL: We went 6-4. We won the districtchampionship in a three-way tiebreaker. They used tohave a Kansas City tiebreaker down here in Dade Countywhere you put the ball on the 10-yard line and flip a coin.It was us, Miami Beach, Coral Gables. Carlos Huerta,great Miami kicker, kicked the winning kick. We won thedistrict title. We played number one Southridge in the statechampionship. They had a couple Hurricanes on there,Robert Bailey and Herbert James.We punted. Robert Bailey fumbled the punt. He’ll deny it,but he did. We recovered. Huerta kicked the field goaland we beat the number one team in the state.And then we lost the next week in sectionals to Carol City,who was coached by Walt Frazier, one of the best of alltime ever to do it. Players like Rudy Barber, who was ateammate here. Couple guys — Cedric (indiscernible), mayhe rest in peace; Tim Paulk, Godfrey Myles — just anawesome time for Dade County football. Just awesomememories.Q. Did you guys stay in touch?MARIO CRISTOBAL: I mean not really. I think when yougo to Columbus, that brotherhood is extremely strong. Youknow, I mean, everywhere you go, especially in town yourun in — but we have crossed paths before. Certainly hewas an excellent football player and has become such aprominent member of the community down here in themedical field. And certainly all the respect in the world forhim and his family.Q. Coach Cignetti has talked a lot about the influencehis father has had on him from a football perspective. I’m curious about the influence your father had on you,not from a football perspective, but just from a lifeperspective.MARIO CRISTOBAL: Well, mom and dad, that’s prettywell — they worked two jobs, went to night school, learnedthe language. They came from Cuba. Couldn’t ask foranything better in terms of parents. They were hard-nosed. They were tough. They made sure we understood the meaning of true work and to makeabsolutely zero excuses.They were absolutely relentless in their pursuit of just doingeverything they could to provide for us. I just couldn’t askfor better parents. Then they handed us over to DennisLavelle, the head coach at Columbus, and Fred Foyo, whowas the offensive line coach at Columbus. And they werethe ones that helped to raise us and groom us into thepeople that we are today.Forever grateful for them. I thought they were the bestcoaches and mentors ever.That’s why I coach today because of my high schoolcoaches. Coach Lavelle, he’s everything to me.But my dad, Luis Sr., hard-nosed, tough-ass son of a gun. That’s what I know. And I’m forever grateful for him beinghard on us and never gifted us anything, made us work foreverything. I thank God for that.Q. Earlier you talked about having played withFernando’s dad. I want to talk about the irony ofhaving his son not only win the Heisman but be thequarterback that you’re going to face in a nationalchampionship, having not only him and Alberto beingfrom Miami and the same high school that you and hisfather played at. The irony of playing againstFernando, the son of a guy you played high school ballwith.MARIO CRISTOBAL: Yeah, football is awesome. It’salmost that part of it coming full circle — his son is a greatfootball player. He’s obviously the — the Heisman wasearned and well-deserved.The type of season that Fernando has had, really theydominated just about every game. And anytime a gamewas close, he was a big reason why the outcome is or waswhat it was because of his level of play.His younger brother is going to be as good or even better. And I think if you talk to the people over there at theiruniversity and at Columbus High School, they’ll tell youthat. Just really tough, smart, hardworking, awesomeyoung men that represent their families and their universityreally well.Q. I was talking about the irony as well of having toplay against him.MARIO CRISTOBAL: Right. Yes, sir.Q. If there wasn’t such close ties and you didn’t knowhim as well as you do, if you just flipped on the film forthe first time, what would you think about Fernando? Like why is he special as a player?MARIO CRISTOBAL: I think he combines everything thatyou would want in an elite quarterback. He’s ahead of thedefense all the time. He’s two steps ahead. Heunderstands the back end, the front. He’s extremelyaccurate, poised. He can make you pay with his feet. Hecan make you pay with his arm.He understands protections really well. He anticipates likeno other. He really has distinguished himself as the bestfootball player in the country this year, and it’s not byaccident. A lot of reps, a lot of hard work, a guy that’s beena complete difference-maker for their program.Q. I was hoping to ask you a bigger-picture questionabout the ACC, because a lot of people are throwingdirt on the conference earlier when they thought therewas the potential to not get a team in, and with thepostseason performance and your performance, I’mwondering if you think this might start changingnarratives or perceptions about the ACC as a whole.MARIO CRISTOBAL: Yes, thank you. I believe the ACCis like 9-4 in postseason play this year, and I think a lot ofthe reasons why we have progressed is some of the teamsthat we have faced throughout the course of the season inour conference.The level of play from a quarterback standpoint, line ofscrimmage standpoint, I think, has proven itself in thepostseason. And for us, it proved itself against us andmade us a better team in terms of making adjustments,increasing our level of physicality. And it’s been a really,really good year for the conference.If you look at the coaches that have been hired, the waythe rosters are shaping up, both from a transfer portal anda high school recruiting standpoint, the conference is onlygoing to get better and better, and we’re certainlyappreciative of all of the support that we’ve gotten from theACC and looking forward to more great years to come.Q. In this new college football world, how valuable isthe experience you have on this roster with 14 or 15 ofyour starters have four years or more? And then doyou see this as the right blend of portal and recruits,particularly in-state recruits?MARIO CRISTOBAL: Yes, sir, appreciate the question. And I know we talked about irony earlier. Ironically, we’replaying against a team that is very much a veteran group,right? You’re looking at a lot of similarities in the sense ofplayers that have experience — experience is irreplaceable.And for us, I think it’s been a great blend because theportal pick-ups combined with the players that have beenhere for three and four years, it again, it comes down to thefact that they’re like-minded individuals and the youngtalent we recruited they are, from a DNA standpoint, they’rehard-working guys. They’re high achievers.And the way that we work here, the blueprint here, theregimen here, it’s very demanding. If that’s not your thing,it’s not going to work.The fact that we had all these like-minded individuals fromall over the place, I mean, we’re as national as Miami hasever been from a roster standpoint, all positions. But,again, it doesn’t matter if you’re from one mile away or1,000 miles away, if you’re made of the right stuff, you’vegot the right heart and the right mindset, it works.And the team is very evenly made up of all three of thosedifferent buckets of talent. And the older guys have done agreat job just doing, I would say, just bringing along,showing our younger guys what it’s supposed to look likenow, not later, but right now. And in terms of expeditingtheir experience and their ability to contribute, they’ve beena huge part of that.Q. You faced Fernando last year back at Cal, and I’mcurious just what you remember about hisperformance in that game, and what you would sayabout maybe his growth since that time, to what he’sdoing now?MARIO CRISTOBAL: Well, you saw all the things that yousee now, except the supporting cast right now is verydifferent.Certainly, the system is completely different. But you’relooking at a massive, physical, tough, offensive line that ison point. They don’t make mistakes. Their IDs are exactlywhat they need to be when they need to be that way.Their receivers are big-time playmakers, and they do it withback shoulder, underthrown fades. They do it by runningby you, underneath, finding soft spots in zone coverage. And they’re complemented by a very physical downhill rungame, one that could circle you as well.A guy like that in that system, with that level of coaching,where, I mean, he has been coached to continue toprogress at such a high level.You see the player, you saw the talent last year. Thesupporting cast wasn’t there yet and they were a reallygood team, we thought. But this year, obviously, it’s awhole different level with where he’s at.Q. All season long, whether it be to the media, to yourplayers, that 1-0 mentality has just been your theme. When the 1-0 now means a national championship,what does that message mean to you? How does thatresonate to the players, like how does it change thisweek, the 1-0 mentality?MARIO CRISTOBAL: Yes, sir. Well, you know, I don’tthink that you make the game any heavier than what it is. Ithink it’s really important that that 1-0, earning 1-0 andearning the opportunity to cut it loose on game day is still aprocess, right, and it started last January. And it carriesover all the way through the course of the week. And youdon’t stray from that.The only thing you change of that is you just make it betterand better each and every week. Like, you really dig deepas a coach, hey, how can I make this process better?But you don’t go about-faced on a theme and a philosophythat has brought you to this point and you know, to comethis far, you don’t stray from it to go farther. So we stayalong the lines of what we’ve been doing.Q. You spoke a lot about Fernando, but their offensiveguys, Indiana on defense, just your impressions ofthem, what you’ve seen from them defensively.MARIO CRISTOBAL: They’re the best overall team andbest defense we have faced. I know that their rankingsand anything statistically important are between 1 and 5. Itstarts with this. They’re really fast, physical, explosive,talented and smart. They play with a lot of physicality, a lotof violence. They understand their scheme top to bottom.They make it very challenging, and I’ll tell you why. They’remultiple up front and they’re multiple on the back end. Sothe way that they understand what you’re doing so well,they set up and line up in a manner where they challengeyour IDs.You know, they’ve done a great job confusing opponentoffensive lines with how they line up and how they bluff anddisguise what they’re doing, not only in the front seven, buton the back end. That’s the challenge with them.You’ve got to understand, these guys, they’ve played a lotof game together. A lot of these guys came over fromJMU. They went deep into the playoffs, right, a year ago. They’ve been in this system and have played a lot of balltogether. And therefore that’s why you see theinstantaneous reactions. The physicality, the closingspeed that they have on a-down-after down basis.And on top of that, I think it’s really important to point outfrom a technique and fundamental standpoint, that’s whatreally stands out to me, because they play with their feet inthe ground, with great pad level and with elite use of theirhands. They understand how to leverage the ball and whatto do when they get there.From a turnover-margin standpoint, they’re number one inthe country, and they play great complementary football. You witnessed some of it in their last game. But if youlooked throughout the course of the season, from the firstseries at Iowa, to this last weekend with the pick-6 and theforced fumble and whatnot, they do a great job playingcomplementary football.Q. To continue with the experience theme. Carsonstarted 40-something games in his career. Obviously,as we talk about the poise and the leadership heshows. Poise is one thing, poise when you have threeminutes for your season is a very different animal. When you look back at the drive, where does thatcalmness, that inner resolve, whatever you want to callit, come from that he made every smart play he had tomake to win the game with everything riding on it?MARIO CRISTOBAL: Tribute to him, testament to him andhis teammates. So many different things on that drive thatwere executed at a high level. Handful of third downs thatwere not the easiest in the world. But elite protection. Eliteroute running. Contested catches. Being hard to tackle. Turning a third and 12 into a third and seven instead. Allthose things. Right, the margins, we always talk all yearlong, right, the margins get smaller and smaller and smalleras the year goes on. And the margins were three minutesto go and ball in hand were like this, and obviously we wantto play a cleaner game.There were some things that we know that we took a stepback in pre-snap penalties, post-snap IQ decisions, somealignment decisions, which we feel great about correcting.But when it comes down to it, the resilience, thetoughness, the fact that we just felt that that game, it justmeant more to our guys, and they were going to find a wayto get it done.But you have to execute, and they did. And I think allthose Wednesdays, when we come out there and dotwo-minute, which we’ve done now for the year, I believe,37 scenarios like that. And we go back and forth. Offensewins sometimes. Sometimes it’s the defense. For them, itwas routine.

College Football FBS January 9, 20260

The Miami Hurricanes Outlast Ole Miss 31-27 to Reach the CFP Final

Follow Glendale, Arizona- The Miami Hurricanes delivered one of the defining victories of their modern era Thursday night, edging Ole Miss 31–27 in a thrilling Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal at State Farm Stadium. With the win, Miami punched its ticket to the national championship game and continued a resurgent season that has returned the Hurricanes to the sport’s biggest stage.In a back-and-forth contest that featured explosive plays, momentum swings, and late-game drama, Miami’s composure and physicality proved decisive when it mattered most.Miami struck first, setting the tone with a balanced offensive approach that kept Ole Miss guessing. The Hurricanes built a 17–13 halftime lead behind a bruising ground game and a timely deep touchdown pass from quarterback Carson Beck to wide receiver Keelan Marion.Ole Miss responded in the second half with big plays of its own, including a 73-yard touchdown run by Kewan Lacy that ignited the Rebels’ sideline. Late in the fourth quarter, Ole Miss grabbed a 27–24 lead after a touchdown pass from quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, seemingly seizing control with just over three minutes remaining.That’s when Miami delivered its signature moment.Beck calmly led a 16-play, 75-yard drive, converting key third downs and draining the clock. The drive culminated with an 18-second-remaining quarterback sneak from three yards out, giving Miami the lead for good. Ole Miss’s final Hail Mary attempt fell incomplete as time expired.Miami finished the night with 459 total yards, including 191 on the ground, while dominating time of possession by more than 22 minutes. Beck threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns and added the game-winning rushing score. Marion led all receivers with 114 yards and a touchdown.Ole Miss totaled 398 yards of offense, led by Chambliss’s 277 passing yards and Lacy’s 101 rushing yards.For Miami, the message is unmistakable: The Hurricanes are back—and one win away from a national title. CJ Daniels and Cam Ward at the 2026 Fiesta Bowl.

College Football Division II feature Florida January 2, 20260

Miami Hurricanes Stun Ohio State, Earn Final Four CFP Birth

Follow Miami defeated Ohio State 24–14 on December 31, 2025 in the Cotton Bowl, riding a suffocating defense and a physical ground game to one of the biggest recent upsets of the College Football Playoff era. The win sent the No. 10 Hurricanes past the defending national champions and into the CFP semifinals, while the No. 2 Buckeyes’ title defense ended in Arlington.Miami controlled the game early, building a 14–0 lead behind a pick-six and a methodical offense that kept Ohio State off balance. Ohio State closed the gap in the second half, but Miami’s late touchdown run and clock management sealed the 24–14 final margin.Final: Miami 24, Ohio State 14.The Hurricanes held Ohio State scoreless in the first half and allowed only 14 points total, the most the Buckeyes had given up all season but still well below their offensive average.A fourth-quarter Miami touchdown drive, capped by a short ChaMar Brown scoring run, effectively put the game out of reach.Miami’s upset was built on a rugged run game and opportunistic defense that consistently flipped momentum.Running back Mark Fletcher Jr. powered the ground attack with a strong, downhill performance that helped Miami control tempo and sustain drives, repeatedly moving the chains in short-yardage and late-game situations.Quarterback Carson Beck managed the game efficiently, throwing a touchdown pass and avoiding major mistakes while directing a balanced offense that mixed play-action with inside runs.Receiver CJ Daniels and the perimeter group contributed key third- and fourth-down catches, including a late grab that set up Miami’s final touchdown inside the Ohio State 10.Miami’s defense set the tone from the opening series, limiting explosive plays and forcing Ohio State to drive the length of the field for every scoring chance.Cornerback Keionte Scott delivered the signature play of the night when he jumped a screen pass from Heisman finalist Julian Sayin and returned it more than 70 yards for a touchdown, giving Miami a two-score cushion.The Hurricanes’ front generated steady pressure, producing sacks and hurries that disrupted Ohio State’s timing and kept the Buckeyes behind the chains.A late interception of Sayin in the fourth quarter ended any realistic comeback hopes and allowed Miami to bleed the clock with its run game.Ohio State found some rhythm after halftime but never fully recovered from the early deficit and Miami’s defensive intensity.Julian Sayin threw for over 250 yards with a touchdown but was intercepted multiple times, including the pivotal pick-six that swung momentum decisively toward Miami.Star receiver Jeremiah Smith was Ohio State’s most dangerous weapon, posting over 150 receiving yards and a long touchdown that pulled the Buckeyes back within one score in the second half.The Buckeyes’ defense tightened after the break and forced several punts, but extended drives by Miami in the fourth quarter kept them on the field and ultimately wore them down.Several of the standout names in this game, including Mark Fletcher Jr. for Miami and Jeremiah Smith for Ohio State, were already familiar to South Florida youth football followers thanks to years of exposure at national showcase-style events during their middle school and high school careers. Their impact on one of the sport’s biggest stages underscored how early development and elite regional competition can shape players who later decide College Football Playoff games. After a score, Jeremiah Smith lets out a yell as he draws Ohio State closer to his hometown University of Miami team in the college football playoff on December 31, 2025. Photo by Robson Lopes for Football Hotbed Head coach Mario Cristobal walks into battle vs. Ohio State Mark Fletcher scores to strike first blood vs. Ohio State on December 31, 2025

ACC Brandon Odoi College Football FBS Florida December 20, 20250

Hurricanes Get Historic First CFP Win: 10-3 Over Texas A&M

Follow College Station, TX– As a freshman in high school, Malachi Toney fumbled the football on what would have been the go-ahead drive for his American Heritage High School Football team in a comeback effort versus Miami Central. He was inconsolable and ran off the field through an exit that players were not supposed to take. Saturday night, the exact same scenario took place in the University of Miami’s first ever trip to the College Football Playoff. Teammate Mark Fletcher, was there both times. This time Fletcher says he told his teammate, we need you, you aren’t done. His words would prove prophetic and this time as a true freshman in college, Toney would score the game winning field goal after fumbling in a game defining situation and the Hurricanes would go on to beat Texas A&M 10-3 on the road. The Miami Hurricanes’ 10–3 College Football Playoff win over Texas A&M turned into a national showcase for two former American Heritage stars, Malachi Toney and Mark Fletcher Jr., who powered Miami’s offense on the sport’s biggest stage. In a defensive slugfest where every yard mattered, the South Florida duo authored the defining moments that extended the Hurricanes’ season and underscored the pipeline from American Heritage to Coral Gables.Heritage boys on the big stageToney and Fletcher, once teammates at American Heritage in Broward County, carried that chemistry straight into the College Football Playoff, providing the Hurricanes’ two most explosive offensive performances of the afternoon. Both stepped into starring roles late, with Fletcher’s punishing ground game and Toney’s clutch touchdown sealing a win that validates Miami’s rise back into the national conversation.Fletcher finished with a career-high 172 rushing yards, setting the tone against a Texas A&M front that had dominated SEC play.Toney, a true freshman, delivered the game-winning score in the final two minutes after earlier adversity, showing the resilience that defined his rise at American Heritage.Mark Fletcher’s career nightIn a game where Miami’s offense struggled to finish drives, Fletcher became the Hurricanes’ identity, repeatedly churning out tough yards and finally breaking the Aggies’ will in the fourth quarter. His physical, downhill style looked exactly like the back who dominated Florida high school defenses on Friday nights in Plantation.Fletcher ripped off a career-long 56-yard run on the final scoring drive, flipping field position and igniting the Hurricanes’ sideline.Miami leaned on him four more times on that march, riding his legs into scoring range in a game where he was clearly the best offensive player on the field.For Football Hotbed readers who followed his high school journey, this performance was a confirmation: the same back who carried American Heritage deep into the playoffs is now doing it in the College Football Playoff for Miami.Malachi Toney’s redemption momentToney’s night told the story of a freshman growing up in real time on the biggest stage the sport offers. After a costly fumble in the fourth quarter that gave Texas A&M the ball in plus territory, he could have faded into the background but instead authored the defining play of Miami’s season.Earlier, Toney flipped the field with a 55-yard punt return that set Miami up deep in Aggie territory, showcasing the burst and playmaking he flashed constantly at American Heritage.With 1:44 left, he took a short touch—reported as an end-around or quick toss depending on outlet—and turned it into an 11-yard game-winning touchdown, breaking the 3–3 deadlock and sending Miami to the CFP quarterfinals.Teammates surrounded a visibly emotional Toney on the bench after his fumble, and when he got his second chance, the former Heritage standout responded with the same confidence and explosiveness that made him one of South Florida’s most feared offensive weapons in high school.American Heritage pipeline pays offThis playoff win serves as a living commercial for American Heritage’s status as a true national recruiting factory, particularly for Miami. On a field filled with blue-chip talent, it was two products of a Broward powerhouse who decided the game and extended the Hurricanes’ season.The Toney–Fletcher connection underscores what Football Hotbed has tracked for years: South Florida’s elite programs are built to feed college football’s biggest stages. With both players producing in high-pressure moments, Miami’s staff can point directly to this CFP win as proof that staying home and repping the crib can lead to the sport’s highest platform.Miami’s moment and what’s nextThe 10–3 victory not only pushes Miami into a Cotton Bowl showdown with No. 2 Ohio State, it also quiets the debate about whether the Hurricanes belonged in the expanded 12-team field over brands like Notre Dame. A defense led by stars like Rueben Bain Jr. and Bryce Fitzgerald did its job, but it was the American Heritage duo that gave Miami the offensive spark needed to survive and advance.For Football Hotbed’s youth and high school audience, the message is clear: two kids who once dominated South Florida Friday nights just swung a College Football Playoff game on Saturday, and they did it together, wearing the same colors they chose back at American Heritage. Mark Fletcher at american heritage-teammates with malachi toney

Florida High School Football December 12, 20250

6A FHSAA: West Boca Goes Back to Back in Win over West Broward

Florida Florida High School Football December 11, 20250

St. Thomas Aquinas Blanks Lakeland 29-0 to Win 5A FHSAA Crown

Follow Miami- St. Thomas Aquinas earned their seventh consecutive state championship beating Lakeland 29-0 at Pitbull Stadium Thursday night. The most valuable player award was awarded to senior kicker Johnny DiSalvatore going 5 for 5 kicking field goals on the night giving St. Thomas Aquinas their only points through three quarters. They would add two touchdowns late to seal the win.

feature December 11, 20250

Crusaders Shock the State: Cardinal Newman Upsets Chaminade-Madonna 17-14 in 1A Title Game

Follow MIAMI — In a thrilling finish at Pitbull Stadium on the campus of Florida International University, the Cardinal Newman Crusaders capped off a historic season with a dramatic 17-14 upset over the defending powerhouse Chaminade-Madonna Lions to win the FHSAA Class 1A state championship on Thursday afternoon. The victory marks the first state football title in school history for Cardinal Newman and snaps Chaminade-Madonna’s dominant run — the Lions had appeared in the championship game for the past decade and entered seeking a fifth consecutive title. Early Momentum and a Back-and-Forth BattleThe Crusaders struck first just before halftime when senior standout Jyron Hughley broke free for a long touchdown run to give Newman a 7-0 lead. Chaminade-Madonna responded before the break, knotting the score 7-7 and setting the stage for a tightly contested second half. In the third quarter, Hughley — who announced his commitment to West Virginia — continued to fuel Newman’s offense. He connected with Ethan Holland on a big scoring pass, putting the Crusaders ahead 14-7. Clutch Plays in the Fourth QuarterEarly in the fourth quarter, Cardinal Newman extended its lead when Nathaniel Parks drilled a 36-yard field goal, making it 17-7 and giving the Crusaders some breathing room. But the Lions were far from finished. With under a minute left, Chaminade-Madonna’s Derrick Cooper punched in a short rushing touchdown, trimming the deficit to 17-14 and setting up a frantic final minute. Sealing the WinAfter the Lions attempted an onside kick, Cardinal Newman’s special teams came up big, securing the ball and allowing the Crusaders to run out the clock, securing the monumental victory. Legacy and CelebrationThe win not only brings a state championship trophy back to West Palm Beach for the first time in program history but also cements this team’s place among the school’s all-time greats. Players, coaches, and fans celebrated long after the final whistle as Newman’s sideline erupted in joy. For Chaminade-Madonna, an excellent season ends at 11-3, proud of yet another deep playoff run but falling just short of another title.

feature December 10, 20250

Cardinal Mooney Blows Past Bolles to Claim 2A FHSAA Crown

Follow Miami– In Wednesday night’s 2A Florida High School Football Association final, Sarasota Cardinal Mooney’s offensive explosion led to their second state championship crown since 2023. They topped Jacksonville Bolles 52-28 behind three rushing touchdowns by Connail Jackson (26 carries for 160 yards) aided by three receiving touchdowns by Bo Odaniel (7 catches for 107 yards). That 2023 championship was Cardinal Mooney’s first state football title since 1972, ending a 51-year drought. Cardinal Mooney won the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 1S state championship on December 8, 2023. The Cougars defeated Trinity Catholic High School (Ocala) by a score of 31–27 in that title game Bo Odaniel, 2026 WR