Miami Hurricanes carry out Mario Cristobal's vision for the program to a 'T' with a marquee win over Notre Dame

Mario Cristobal is a veteran offensive lineman, and he's an old school one at that. Playing for the Miami Hurricanes from 1989-92, he was a part of one of the greatest eras in program history, as the Hurricanes rolled up two national titles during that span. Miami's success came from dominating play on both sides of the line of scrimmage with some truly special players. Russell Maryland, Leon Searcy, Greg Mark, Warren Sapp, and others.

Having seen that up close, it's no secret that Cristobal has been trying to build Miami from the inside out since taking over as the program's head coach in December 2021. It's been a grind to get there, but anything worthwhile takes time.

And on Sunday night, against one of the most physical teams in the country in the 2024 national runner up Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Miami looked for the majority of the game like the more physical team of the two in the Canes' 27-24 win.

Miami's lines controlled the action for much of the game against the Irish

The stats might not scream it - the Hurricanes ran for 125 yards on 37 carries (3.4 yards per carry) - but Miami's big offensive line was simply better far more often than the touted Notre Dame defensive front across the ball from them. That was apparent in the middle portion of the game in particular, when the Canes turned a tie game into a 21-7 lead midway through the third quarter. Miami put together a bruising 13-play, 75-yard drive that took 7:37 off the clock.

It ended in appropriate fashion, with a pile of bodies slowly driving across the goal line for a five-yard touchdown by Marty Brown, with Francis Mauigoa and the offensive line being the engine of that push. And when Miami needed to get in field goal range on a crucial third-and-2 with under 2 minutes left in a tie game? Leave it to Mauigoa and the line to force the ballcarrier forward and across the line to move the chains and get the Canes in position for Carter Davis's game-winning 47-yard boot.

On the other side of the coin, Miami's defensive front - projected by many to be a strength of the team - was just that for much of the night, controlling play at the line of scrimmage through much of the contest. Rueben Bain, Jr. looked every bit like the first round NFL Draft player he's been projected by many to be, beating Notre Dame's tackles early and often and getting CJ Carr off his spot on several occasions. Akheem Mesidor was fast and disruptive as well. On the inside, Ahmad Moten, Sr. had a sack, and David Blay, Jr. had a drive-killing tackle for loss. The typically powerful Notre Dame rushing attack was nowhere to be found, finishing with 94 yards on 27 carries. Preseason All-American RB Jeremiyah Love had just 33 yards on 10 carries.

And it was Mesidor and Bain, Jr. who closed it out for Miami on the game's final drive. After meeting at the QB to force an intentional grounding call, they did it again to sack Carr on the next play and run out the rest of the clock on the win.

A fitting end to a game that Miami's trenches helped determine the outcome of. Just the way Cristobal would want it to be.