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While Cristobal believes the have proven during a dominant finishing stretch to the regular season that they are deserving of a spot in the College Football Playoff when the 12-team bracket is revealed on Dec. 7, he's not immune to the fact that there are some who wonder if the ACC is worthy of having two schools in the field.

And if he's being honest, Cristobal is just about over it.

β€œI just think people have got to stop (lying) and trying to place value on conferences,” Cristobal said. β€œI mean, just there’s a lot of really good football teams in all conferences, especially the ACC, and we’ve proven it.”

The Miami team that began November with that seemed to push its once-promising season to the brink is the same Miami team that finished with a flourish.

The Hurricanes won four straight to finish the regular season, the last at chilly Acrisure Stadium on Saturday that they hope will force the committee to think long and hard when the field is put together on the first Sunday in December.

Regardless of whether Miami reaches the ACC championship game, they believe they've done enough to earn a chance to play for a national title.

β€œNot only do we pass the eye test, we pass the field test, right?” Cristobal said. β€œEspecially as it relates to playing this brand of football down the stretch and in head-to-head competition versus others that are being judged.”

Miami (10-2 overall, 6-2 ACC) responded to that listless overtime setback at SMU by spending four consecutive Saturdays exerting its will, winning by an average of 27.5 points.

The capper was a physical three-plus-hour clinic in 36-degree (2 Celsius) weather in which the guys in white from South Florida looked right at home. The Hurricanes outgained Pitt 416-229, held the Panthers to 30 yards rushing and rolled up 29 first downs as a tight first half quickly morphed into a blowout over the final two quarters.

Asked if style points are important, particularly for a team with two losses on its ledger, Miami quarterback Carson Beck didn't disagree after throwing for 267 yards with three touchdowns and a pick.

β€œI think winning football games matters,” Beck said. β€œI think looking good obviously matters as well. And if you turn on the film ... the shows that we can go out and compete with anyone and not even just compete, but dominate in some in some scenarios and situations.”

Or, during most of a gray late fall afternoon, nearly all of them.

Miami scored on five of six possessions at one point β€” the one non-scoring drive came on a kneel down to end the first half β€” then sent a message to both the Panthers and the CFP selection committee after Pitt called a timeout trailing by 24 with under 2 minutes to go.

Rather than simply run out the clock, Beck stood in the pocket and hit CJ Daniels for a 33-yard touchdown that made the final margin even more impressive.

β€œWe’re like, β€˜OK, let’s go score, screw it,’” Beck said.

Beck pointed to his team's resiliency as one of the reasons it is worthy of playing for a national title. The Hurricanes opened the year with an electric victory over Notre Dame and reached as high as No. 2 in the polls before losing twice in three weeks as October gave way to November.

Yet any concern Beck had about the Hurricanes pouting after falling at SMU vanished when they returned to the practice field a few days later.

β€œIt was the best practice of the year,” he said. β€œAnd to see our team respond like that and bring energy, guys were flying around, guys were making plays, guys were running around the field ... And from there on out, it kind of was just this new energy.”

An energy that sustained itself during a series of emphatic blowouts that offered proof the renaissance the program has enjoyed since Cristobal returned to his alma mater has some staying power.

Senior linebacker Wesley Bissainthe was part of Cristobal's first Miami team in 2022, a group that began the season ranked in the Top 25 and ended it at 5-7, the last loss a 42-16 embarrassment at home against Pitt.

Bissainthe and the Hurricanes came full circle in a way on Saturday, and the senior just smiled while admitting that he grew emotional in the postgame locker room as he thought about the journey both he and the program have been on.

All involved just hope the journey isn't over yet.

β€œI told the guys, you know, I love them and if (the CFP committee) gives us a chance, let’s keep it going,” he said.

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