Stephen A. Smith Makes Definitive Ruling on Miami Being 'Back'

It doesn't count unless they finish the job.

Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal lifts a trophy after advancing to the College Football Playoff final. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Miami has made the most of its opportunity to participate in the College Football Playoff and is now only 60 minutes away from capturing its first national championship since 2001. Thursday night's semifinal victory over Ole Miss was an instant classic, capped by Carson Beck completing a game-winning drive with a touchdown scramble.

The Hurricanes have put their two regular season losses deep into the rearview mirror and showed how dangerous they can be over the past few weeks, racking up wins at Texas A&M and against Ohio State before dowing the Rebels. Whomever materializes on the other side of the bracket through the Indiana-Oregon rematch will be a formidible foe but Mario Cristobal's team clearly has the talent and cutlure to win it all.

If all of this has you thinking that, 'heck yeah, the U is back,' that's understandable. Just know that it is very much up for debate despite Miami being one of the last two college football teams standing.

"Trifecta all the way," Stephen A. Smith said on Friday's First Take. "You ain't back until you win the 'chip."

"Trifecta all the way, you ain't back until you win the 'chip."

—@stephenasmith believes Miami will be "back" when they win it all 😤 pic.twitter.com/mTpdqGtr0A

— First Take (@FirstTake) January 9, 2026

"That's what they did back in the day," he continued. "They did it three times in the '80s, they did it one time in the '90s, they did it in 2001."

Smith conceded that Cristobal has done a phenomenal job leading his team to the national title game, which is nice. But he cautioned everyone that Indiana is believed to be the best team in the country. Fact-check: true.

"If the U goes out in the national championship game and loses on their home turf and finishes at runner-up status, we appreciate what you've done," Smith said. "Great, great season. You're a good team but you ain't those dudes unless you close the deal. That is the standard that Miami once established."

That might be fair. Coming all this way just to lose at home will be a bummer. So maybe there's a reason Cristobal doesn't even want to hear the word "back." Perhaps the Hurricanes are truly subjects to the harshest grading standards alive. If they aren't back, though, then Indiana hasn't even arrived—and that seems wrong.

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