3 critical Miami mistakes almost cost Mario Cristobal a shot at the CFP title

The Miami Hurricanes are moving on to play for the National championship awaiting the winner of Oregon Vs Indiana. The Hurricanes won 31-27 in the Fiesta Bowl, and every Miami fan is likely trying to figure out how the game was even that close as it felt like a dominant performance.

When you look at the stats, it's impossible to fathom that Miami almost let this game slip away from them. The Canes held the ball for 41:22 keeping the Ole Miss offense on the sideline for extended stretches. The fact of the matter is that several critical mistakes almost cost Miami the game, and Mario Cristobal is going to need to clean them up if this team is going to win the National Championship.

These 3 mistakes could've cost Miami everything

A senseless flea flicker call by Shannon Dawson

On the opening drive of the second half, it looked like Miami might take total control as Mark Fletcher Jr was running through the Ole Miss defense with ease. After Mark Fletcher Jr picked up 19 with the help of his offensive line, Miami should've kept pounding the ball as Ole Miss looked out of gas with no answer for the run.

Instead, Shannon Dawson got too cute, calling a flea flicker that resulted in a loss of 12 yards as Carson Beck took an intentional grounding penalty. Miami ran the ball on second down, and Fletcher picked up 13. However, Miami passed again on 3rd down, which was incomplete, leading to a missed field goal by Carter Davis.

Given how effective the rushing attack was, going away from it was a critical mistake especially with a flea flicker. Against Oregon or Indiana who will have better pass rushers, you'd hope to see the Canes to continue wearing down their defense.

Countless dropped interceptions

Miami is going to look back at this game, and just think about how much easier it would've been if the defensive backs just caught the ball. Trinidad Chambliss and the Ole Miss receivers gave Miami countless chances to create turnovers, and they let them all slip away. They didn't always end up costing Miami points, but it could've killed Ole Miss' morale when the game was going against them.

Linebacker Wesley Bissainthe had the most blatant drop, but it didn't end up costing them points.

Ethan O'Connor had a chance to put a dagger in Ole Miss again, but he couldn't haul in the deep ball by Chambliss.

Anez Cooper's false start

After Miami's first drive resulted in 0 points due to a poorly timed flea flicker, Miami drove right back down the field, getting into field goal range. The Hurricanes found themselves with a 3rd and 7 on the Ole Miss 19-yard line in what could've been 4 down territory. Instead, Anez Cooper took a false start penalty, making it 3rd and 12.

Given the down and distance, Miami decided to throw a pass, and it proved to most likely take points off the board. Beck's pass was batted at the line of scrimmage, and Ole Miss' Kapena Gushiken was able to make an impressive play to secure the interception.