Miami Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal and player reaction post Syracuse

Miami Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal and players weigh in after the Canes’ game.

Tune in for what they are saying:

Opening statement …

“I’m proud of the way our guys showed up to work on Monday with the right attitude, the right type of energy, and put together a good week of work and practice. Defense really was playing big and when we got going we got going. We were 0-for-four on our first drives punting the ball. After that, we went 4-for-4, really kind of ignited by (Daylyn) Upshaw’s play and Keionte’s (Scott) interception, which really helped us establish some momentum and then eventually take control. But obviously a lot of stuff to cover that being said.”

On what the team showed today with six sacks and a slow start …

“Well, I think that we showed in spurts what a really good football team we are. I think we also show what you see in college football, that games at some point in time, there’s some back and forth and some stagnant moments. That’s why you keep playing, that’s why the game is four quarters. And then show that some of our young players are really playing well.”

On the importance of being able to build on momentum in the second half … 

“We’ve been really good in the middle eight, unless I’ve got that statistical part wrong,  for a while. It’s really, really important right, how to close out the half and how to be in the next half. So Keionte’s pick, and then not only that, the fumble recovery, right? Because we were hoping we called the timeout trying to get the ball back right.”

Carson Beck, QB, Redshirt Senior

On his receiving touchdown and backwards pass to Francis Mauigoa…

“I enjoyed both of them. I thought that was so fun. We got down to the four-yard line, and Coop (Anez Cooper) started yelling at the sidelines that we needed to run the play, the touchdown, with Sisi [Francis]. We went back out there. We called it. Everybody’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, like, Sisi is about to score!’ I look, they’re in the perfect coverage, perfect defense for us to actually let it hit. And I’m at the line. I’m like, just give him a catch football. Just give him a catch football. Make sure he catches it. So I kind of, I probably lost it a little bit too much, but, man, I was so happy for him.”

Akheem Mesidor, DL, Redshirt Senior

On what the defense was able to do this game…

“We were able to communicate. D-line was able to put pressure on the quarterback, and were just able to dominate.

On what the OL touchdown does for the linemen morale…

“Man, if you don’t like a big lineman touchdown, I don’t know if you like football.”

Francis Mauigoa, OL, Junior

On scoring a touchdown…

“It is a play we’ve been practicing for more than two, three years now. Finally got the opportunity to run it. It was a good touchdown, but I was a little mad about it, because I wanted to run over somebody. ”

On the touchdown counting as a rushing touchdown and not a receiving touchdown… 

“It doesn’t really matter to me. I am an offensive lineman. You can throw the ball to me, but it really did not matter to me.”

Girard Pringle Jr., RB, True Freshman

On his late touchdown …

“It meant a lot, thanks to my O-line. They work hard, I work hard, for this moment, and I’m just appreciative that I was able to get it for these guys.”

Jakobe Thomas, DB, Redshirt Senior

On the interception and how it played out…

“Yeah, I know I’m going to get clowned on social media for next week, but, an interception is an interception. No, I didn’t know I caught it. I thought the ball hit the ground, I thought I heard the ref blow it dead. And then Mo (Mohamed Toure) was in my face screaming go, so I just decided to go.”

Postgame Press Conference Transcript: Syracuse HC Fran Brown

Saturday, November 8, 2025
Hard Rock Stadium

Opening Statement …

“(Mario) Cristobal and his staff did a really good job. They just played really good football. They played really good, clean football for 60 minutes, and it was a pleasure and honor to be able to play against those guys.”

On starting Rickie Collins at QB and his performance…

“We just felt Rickie would have given us the best opportunity of being able to compete… [His performance was] sometimes good, sometimes bad. It was a mixture. It was up and down, it was up and down. Only made a couple bad decisions, but then he also helped us keep the ball sometimes and being able to do stuff. So I think it was a mixture of both.”

On choosing four true freshmen to be game captains…

“We’re building a program. I’ve been saying that since the beginning, but we’re trying to build a program. I think those guys are accountable. If you go look at what they do academically, you see what they’re doing in the community, and just what they do around in football practice all the time. They compete all the time. Those guys are guys that people look up to. I don’t really think it matters the grade they’re in. It just matters their work ethic, and I think that their effort matches their expectations, and they got a lot of people following, and we’re building for the future. So I felt extremely comfortable, and the team felt comfortable being able to follow those guys this week.”