Miami HC Mario Cristobal issues strong message to Cam Ward, rest of the team after first loss

The Miami Hurricanes‘ undefeated season came to an abrupt end against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The Canes had gotten away with a couple of nail-biters throughout the season, however, on the road against Georgia Tech they ran out of luck and took their first loss of the season. After the game, head coach Mario Cristobal sent Heisman candidate Cam Ward, and the rest of the Hurricanes a very strong message.

Miami has been one of the most scrutinized schools in the NCAA this season. Their unbeaten record was disputed by many who considered their schedule to be non-impressive and their wins ‘too close for comfort’. The Yellow Jackets got the better of the Canes and handed them their first loss of the season. A costly setback that made Miami lose ground in the AP Poll.

College Football Playoffs are not a lock for Miami, either. Cristobal’s program has tumbled in the ACC standings. Falling back to third place behind Clemson and SMU. The school in Coral Gables must win out to secure a spot in the Conference Championship Game (it has the upperhand over Clemson in the tiebreaker, should both teams finish 7-1 in league play).

It’s certainly doable for the Hurricanes, however, they cannot afford any more mistakes. Cristobal has made sure the team is on the same page and issued a powerful statement to QB Cam Ward, and rest of the team.

Cam Ward #1 of the Miami Hurricanes rushes the ball in the third quarter of a game against the South Florida Bulls at Raymond James Stadium on September 21, 2024 in Tampa, Florida.

“Got to own it. Got to own every bit of it, all of us,” Cristobal said, via On3. “In this profession, when you take one on the chin like that, you’ve got to be a grown man, you got to own it. There’s no finger pointing, — and by that, I mean starting of course with myself and every coach on the staff and every player, you just own it. And you don’t talk about it very much, you could just go do something about it.“

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How does this loss impact Miami’s chances at the ACC Championship Game?

After the frustrating loss to Georgia Tech, Miami’s league record fell to 5-1. The Hurricanes are behind SMU (5-0 ACC) and Clemson (6-1 ACC). SMU has three remaining conference games: against Boston College, Virginia, and California. Should the Mustangs go undefeated, they’d finish 8-0 in ACC play and clinch a spot in the title match.

Clemson, on the other hand, hasonly one game remaining in the ACC schedule. Should the Tigers and Hurricanes win out to end the season, a tie-breaker would come into play to decide who joins SMU in the decisive game.

Because Clemson and Miami didn’t face each other, the conclusive factor would become the winning percentage against common opponents (Florida State, Louisville, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest).

Miami would hold the advantage as they’d be 4-0 (with a win over Wake Forest), while Clemson is 3-1 against the common opponents between both schools.

Make-or-break scenario for the Hurricanes

In conclusion, Miami’s loss to Georgia Tech will only be as severe as the Canes make it. They must put it on the back burner and focus on winning out against Wake Forest and Syracuse. The Hurricanes will have a bye week to prepare for the pivotal matchup with the Demon Deacons.

“We have a bye week with everything in front of us to play for to do something about it,” Cristobal said. “And to make sure that as sick as everyone’s feeling, that I hope we all feel sick to the point where it drives us to be better. Because certainly that was not our best football, nowhere near it.“