Mario Cristobal spent weeks lobbying for his Miami Hurricanes to earn a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff field. The committee finally listened on Selection Sunday, controversially vaulting the No. 10 Hurricanes over Notre Dame thanks to Miami’s head-to-head victory over Marcus Freeman’s squad.
Now that they are in, the reward is a daunting trip to College Station to face No. 7 Texas A&M on Dec. 20. But before the teams even take the field, the trash talk has already started.
How Did Mario Cristobal Respond to Texas A&M’s Trash Talk?
The tension ramped up quickly when Texas A&M offensive lineman Trey Zuhn raised eyebrows with comments dismissing Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. Zuhn didn’t mince words about the upcoming matchup.
“I haven’t had any time to watch any film yet since this just got announced,” Zuhn said. “I don’t think that he (Bain) will be a threat that we have to worry about too much. You know we have great players, we’ve got a great offensive line, so we will be able to handle him.”
Cristobal appeared on the “Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday and addressed the dig at his star player. Rather than firing back, the Miami coach kept his cool.
“I think when I hear stuff like that, I always say, ‘No comment,'” Cristobal said.
“No comment” 😂😂 ~ @coach_cristobal #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/AuqcPyMOXY
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 11, 2025
Dismissing Bain could prove dangerous for the Aggies. The defensive standout finished the regular season with 37 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one interception. He served as a central figure for a Miami defense that ranked No. 6 in the country and earned a B+ in PFSN’s College Defense Impact.
What Challenges Will Mike Elko’s Aggies Present?
Miami nearly played its way out of the postseason picture with road losses to Louisville and SMU in 2025, only to rally late and jump the Irish. Facing the Aggies at Kyle Field presents one of the toughest environments in the sport. Despite Zuhn’s bulletin board material, Cristobal took the high road during his weekly news conference. He maintained respect for coach Mike Elko’s team and emphasized their physical talent.
“Big, strong, fast, explosive,” Cristobal said. “You have elite playmakers in all phases, from their quarterback, their wide receivers, their defensive fronts, most sacks in the country. As explosive as you can get with a Heisman quarterback.”
Cristobal noted that the battle in the trenches will likely decide the outcome of the game.
“I think their trenches really stick out right away. Again, big and physical. Those guys are built to go deep into November, December, January and play at a high level. Top to bottom, a team that doesn’t have weaknesses and one that has been playing at a high level all year.”
The analytics suggest Miami faces an uphill climb. According to PFSN’s College Football Playoff Meter, the Hurricanes hold just a 5.6% chance of reaching the national championship game on Jan. 20.
