ESPN College GameDay on Miami’s Cristobal, cafecito, Canes, but picks Texas A&M over UM

The No. 13 Miami Hurricanes vs. No. 24 Texas A&M Aggies were supposed to get all the attention Saturday in College Station for ESPN College GameDay — that is, until Appalachian State ruined the party by upsetting Texas A&M last weekend.

GameDay, which set up shop instead at Appalachian State, still took care of Miami with a special segment on new UM head coach Mario Cristobal by Miamian and ESPN broadcaster Jorge Sedano.

The late national game was set for 9 p.m. on ESPN.

“When you wear the helmet here, if you had a chance to run through the smoke and play in the Orange Bowl, and play in multiple national championships, the brotherhood that was created, the energy of this community is galvanized, rounded up by the Miami Hurricanes,’’ Cristobal said in the segment, adding that “it’s been a 25-year journey to bring me back to what originally was the ultimate goal, which had totally been in the back of my mind and almost forgotten – and here it is.”

Cristobal, one of “five Latino head coaches heading FBS programs,’’ per ESPN, was shown sharing Cuban coffee with Sedano. “You always have to have pride in your heritage,’’ Cristobal said. “There aren’t many Latin coaches. I haven’t heard many speak Spanish. That’s one thing I take pride in. I’m one of those Latin couches that actually speak spanish. That was my first language.”

Sedano asked him to give viewers his “best explanation: of cafecito.

“Cuban rocket fuel,’’ Cristobal said. “As young Cuban-Americans since you are 4 or 5 on your way to kindergarten it’s part of your breakfast.”

Saturday’s GameDay segment came nearly a year after GameDay host Kirk Herbstreit criticized the Hurricanes on live TV, citing a Miami Herald article that mentioned football was not a priority for University of Miami president Julio Frenk. Herbstreit said in late September 2021 that “powerhouse programs” such as Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State all had ADs, head coaches and presidents with the “same vision... Recruiting, budget, staff, whatever a team needs. That’s what it takes. Miami doesn’t have that’’

Since then, the Canes went out and signed Cristobal to a 10-year, $80-million contract. Cristobal, in turn, got an elite staff that is one of the the highest paid in college football.

“Everybody’s talking about what’s wrong with A&M and moving in Max Johnson [as the new starting quarberback], ’’ GameDay host Kirk Herbstreit said before Saturday’s game. “It’s a big day for Mario Cristobal. Remember? He got hired to be their coach at Miami, going back to his alma mater. What a big opportunity and a big stage for him.’’

The always anticipated GameDay picks went the way of Texas A&M, with Country music singer and songwriter Luke Combs, the guest picker, along with hosts Pat McAfee and Desmond Howard, going with the Aggies. Lee Corso chose Miami in an upset. Herbstreit didn’t pick because he was set to call the game in College Station.

New Aggies QB

The day before kickoff, multiple reports pointed to Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher changing his starting quarterback for the late Saturday night game.

The person taking over for beleaguered former starter Haynes King: LSU transfer Max Johnson, the 6-5, 220-pound junior who is the son of former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Brad Johnson and nephew of former Miami Hurricanes player and head coach Mark Richt.

Johnson, from Athens, Georgia, where Richt has a home and lived for many years when he led the Georgia Bulldogs to nine 10-win seasons in the 15 years he coached there, started all 12 games as an LSU starter last season. He completed 225 of 373 passes for 2,815 yards and 27 touchdowns, with six interceptions. He had seven picks in his college career going into the Miami game.

This season, Johnson went 3 of 4 for 23 yards in the Aggies’ season-opening win against Sam Houston State. He did not play in the App State game, though at one point he had his helmet on and was pacing the sidelines.

Johnson started twice in his six of eight games as an LSU freshman in 2020, leading the Tigers in back-to-back wins over No. 6 Florida and Ole Miss to end the season. The win over UF was his first career start.

Brad Johnson played at Florida State when Richt was the offensive coordinator in the early 1990s and is married to Richt’s sister Nikki. Brad led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the 2003 Super Bowl title (2002 season) over the Oakland Raiders.

South Florida Aggies

Texas A&M has three notable players from South Florida on its roster: 5-8, 200-pound running back Amari Daniels out of Miami Central; 6-5, 285-pound freshman defensive lineman Shemar Stewart out of Miramar; and 5-10, 175-pound sophomore wide receiver Yulkeith Brown.

Texas Hurricanes

UM has five players on its roster from Texas: 5-11, 230-pound third-year sophomore middle linebacker Corey Flagg Jr. from Houston; 6-4, 200-pound fourth-year redshirt sophomore Peyton Matocha from Houston; 5-11, 220-pound fifth-year redshirt junior Ryan Ragone from Houston; 6-3, 325-pound sixth-year redshirt senior guard Justice Oluwaseun from Richmond; and 6-4, 235-pound sophomore tight end Elljah Arroyo from Frisco.