Miami football earned a gritty 27–24 win over Notre Dame on Sunday, and head coach Mario Cristobal summed it up with a simple, confident statement.
“Our practice and preparation became a gameday reality,” Cristobal said after the game, via Christy Chirinos on X.
The Hurricanes’ victory was a showcase of discipline, execution, and timely playmaking. Against a Notre Dame team that staged a late rally behind redshirt freshman CJ Carr, Miami’s defense made the stops that mattered most to secure the win in front of a Hard Rock Stadium record crowd of 66,793.
From the opening kickoff, Miami set the tone. Quarterback Carson Beck, a Georgia transfer with 28 career starts, operated with poise, completing 20-of-25 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns. His quick decision-making kept Notre Dame’s pass rush from getting home, while the Hurricanes’ ground game wore down the Irish defense as the game progressed. The offensive highlight of the day came late in the first half when wide receiver CJ Daniels hauled in a one-handed catch that has to be an early candidate for catch of the year.
All the replay angles of C.J. Daniels' one-handed catch 😳
Still in disbelief 😱 pic.twitter.com/Phb6J0YFYR
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 1, 2025
On defense, Miami kept star running back Jeremiyah Love in check, holding him to just 33 yards on 10 carries. The front seven’s ability to close running lanes forced Notre Dame to rely heavily on Carr, who still managed to spark a late comeback with two touchdown passes and a rushing score.
Cristobal credited his players for executing the week’s game plan with precision. “The guys stuck to the plan,” he told reporters in comments published by On3 Sports. “We’ve been talking about it since spring — execution, discipline, and physicality. Today, we saw all of that on the field.”
The win gives Miami football a marquee early-season victory and strengthens its College Football Playoff hopes. Cristobal stressed the importance of maintaining the same focus. “This is a big win, but it’s just one step,” he said. “If we keep preparing like this, we’ll put ourselves in position to do something special this season.”
