Mario Cristobal Apologizes for Officiating Comments After Miami’s Loss to Notre Dame

Miami coach Mario Cristobal criticized a late incomplete-pass ruling after No. 1 Miami’s 31-24 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday night, then apologized for his remarks during the same postgame news conference.

“Again, pardon me for my comments,” Cristobal said, according to CaneSport’s transcript. He said he was still upset and that Miami needed to focus on its own performance.

The Hurricanes trailed by seven when Darian Mensah threw to tight end Elija Lofton in the end zone on fourth-and-6 from the Notre Dame 18 with 3:43 left. Officials ruled the pass incomplete, and the call stood after replay review. A touchdown would have left Miami a point behind before the conversion attempt. The incompletion gave Notre Dame the ball on downs.

Cristobal said Lofton had both hands on the ball and two feet inbounds. He told reporters he received no explanation from the officials and later said the stadium video board was the only replay he had seen. He also said he had warned his team before it left Miami to avoid putting the outcome in the officials’ hands.

As the news conference went on, Cristobal credited Notre Dame and praised quarterback CJ Carr. He pointed to a third down before halftime when Miami had a chance to stop Carr in the backfield. Carr escaped and completed a pass, keeping a touchdown drive alive. Cristobal said he shared responsibility for the missed opportunities.

Miami had trailed 24-3 in the third quarter before Lofton caught a 12-yard touchdown pass to start the comeback. Lofton finished with seven catches for 113 yards. The Irish held on to hand Miami its first loss. Both teams are 8-1.

Opinion

Cristobal sounded like the coach we called a brat in our Sean McVay column. McVay faulted his kicking unit after the Rams lost to Buffalo, even though he had decided to send it out. Cristobal had warned Miami about leaving the game in the officials’ hands, then made their call the focus of his postgame complaint.

There’s a precedent. After Miami’s overtime loss to SMU in 2025, Cristobal questioned a personal foul that followed a timeout he had called. His apology in South Bend brought him back to what Miami could control. The third down when Carr escaped was one of those chances, and Cristobal said so himself.

Watch an excerpt of Cristobal’s remarks on The Sporting Page’s Instagram. Video from CaneSport. Read TSP’s game recap for how Notre Dame held off the rally.

File photo: Mario Cristobal at national championship media day in Miami Beach, Fla., Jan. 17, 2026. Bobak Ha’Eri / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0. Resized for display.