The Miami Hurricanes are proving they belong in the upper leagues of college football after shutting down the Texas A&M Aggies and shocking the Ohio State Buckeyes in one of the biggest CFP upsets ever. With the Ole Miss Rebels next, Mario Cristobal’s star linebacker Mark Fletcher Jr. delivered precisely what the team needs right now: a bold promise of unity.

“I feel like we just, everybody, get along so well together, off the field, and we all care so much about the team,” said Fletcher during the pre-Fiesta Bowl presser on January 6. “I don’t think I’ve ever been on a team where everybody’s so locked in together.’

Fletcher Jr. is running it back in Miami. Cristobal’s star back confirmed that he is putting his NFL plans on hold for another season. The announcement came after the best performance of his college career. 

Going by his quotes, the team unity was enough for Fletcher not to try his luck anywhere outside Cristobal’s squad.

“We were just excited to help Mark Fletcher do his thing,” offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa promised on learning about the running back’s return. 

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There’s no question why Miami wants Fletcher back. He tore up Texas A&M with 172 rushing yards on 17 carries, including a 56-yard dash on the final drive that set up the game-winning touchdown. Against a tough Aggies front, Fletcher ran with power, precision, and authority, leaving defenders in his wake.

Without unity, Cristobal’s program would not have made it this far. Miami opened the CFP rankings at No. 18 on November 4, staring down a brutal road as a two-loss ACC squad. Instead of panicking, the Hurricanes locked in, stacked wins, and continued to climb. 

They soon reaped the fruits of their labor. Cristobal and Co. snagged the final at-large bid as the No. 10 seed in the 2025-26 CFP. Miami enters the Fiesta Bowl CFP semifinal as the betting favorite against Ole Miss, with FanDuel Sportsbook listing the Hurricanes at +340 to win it all, third-best odds behind only Indiana Hoosiers and Oregon Ducks.

Miami players talking about unity is not surprising, when Cristobal himself has been particular about it, all this while. 

“The unity of this team has been founded and just really hard work, been through some real trying times and situations and adversity, and it’s been exciting watching the growth and development of our guys,” the head coach said on the Cotton Bowl Day.

This team chemistry will come up good against Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl. Fletcher Jr. and CharMar Brown racked up a combined 116 yards to grind down a stout Buckeyes defense, each averaging at least 4.7 yards per carry. Cristobal will lean on the duo again, especially since Ole Miss gives up 146.1 rushing yards per game.

Fletcher’s return proves the locker room’s pull, but the transfer portal hints the Hurricanes aren’t entirely out of the woods yet. More exits are on the horizon.

Transfer portal comes with no breather for Mario Cristobal

Cristobal has already seen several players leave via the transfer portal, with many landing new homes. Defensive lineman Daylen Russell committed to the Louisville Cardinals, while tight end Brock Schott, after exiting Miami, locked in with Indiana. Cristobal still can’t let out a sigh of relief.

Miami wide receiver Chance Robinson plans to enter the portal along with defensive lineman Donta Simpson, receiver Ny Carr, and defensive lineman Daylen Russell, among others. 

Cristobal isn’t getting much relief from his transfer portal targets either. Miami’s Plan A, Brendan Sorsby, is heading to Texas Tech, which now puts the Arizona State quarterback transfer, Sam Leavitt, squarely in the conversation.

When it comes to the transfer portal, Mario Cristobal’s got a knack for quarterbacks. Carson Beck gives a glimpse of the system that a player like Leavitt could step into. At Miami, the quarterback will have the chance to work with a young but talented group of receivers.

If Leavitt comes to Miami, Cristobal and company will make sure the quarterback never looks back.

“I don’t think that the outcome of the game had really any effect on my emotions or how I felt,” Beck shared his thoughts when asked about watching the Sugar Bowl.

Winning the Fiesta Bowl isn’t just about CFP glory. It’s the ultimate measure of Cristobal’s team unity.