Columbus High’s Once-in-a-Lifetime Title Game Ties (Full Transcript)

Name: Columbus High’s Once-in-a-Lifetime Title Game Ties
Uploaded: 2026-01-19T21:03:39+00:00
Channel: GoTranscript
Description: Miami’s national title game features seven Columbus High alumni, including Heisman QB Fernando Mendoza and Miami coaches, prompting school-wide excitement.

Miami’s national title game features seven Columbus High alumni, including Heisman QB Fernando Mendoza and Miami coaches, prompting school-wide excitement.

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[00:00:00] Speaker 1: This is Haley's Comet. This will never happen again.

[00:00:03] Speaker 2: There is a ton of excitement at Columbus High School in Miami, Florida. It's about 25 miles south of Hard Rock Stadium where college football's national championship game is going to be played tonight. Seven alumni graduated from Columbus High School. Fernando Mendoza, he's of course IU's star quarterback, a Heisman Trophy winner. His younger brother Alberto, who's his backup quarterback at IU. Miami's head coach Mario Cristobal, his assistant coach Alex Mirabal and three players at Miami.

[00:00:33] Speaker 1: A Heisman Trophy winner from Columbus High School playing his hometown university, which he was a fan of, coached by two guys who played with his father in high school and the game is in Miami.

[00:00:48] Speaker 3: Figure that. I coach with Coach Mirabal here and Coach Cristobal's nephew is on our staff and his two sons are on our team.

[00:00:55] Speaker 4: So do you cheer for the person that banks you in their Heisman speech or do you cheer for the side where you're friends with the coaches and you coach some of those players?

[00:01:02] Speaker 3: It's like trying to pick your favorite kid. It's not an easy question to answer so I'm just, I'm there to root both, everybody, both teams on. Our principal knows the enormity of this event on Monday night that he's giving us Tuesday off.

[00:01:13] Speaker 4: It's a school holiday.

[00:01:14] Speaker 3: Yes.

Summary

Columbus High School in Miami is buzzing ahead of the college football national championship in town, as seven alumni are directly connected to the matchup—highlighted by IU Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza facing his hometown Miami program coached and staffed by fellow Columbus alums. School staff describe the unique, once-in-a-lifetime nature of the moment and the difficulty of choosing sides, prompting the principal to give students Tuesday off to mark the occasion.

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Title

Columbus High Alumni Ties Fuel Title Game Buzz in Miami

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Keywords

Columbus High School Remove

Miami, Florida Remove

national championship game Remove

Hard Rock Stadium Remove

Fernando Mendoza Remove

Heisman Trophy Remove

IU quarterback Remove

Alberto Mendoza Remove

Mario Cristobal Remove

Alex Mirabal Remove

Miami Hurricanes Remove

alumni connections Remove

school holiday Remove

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Key Takeaways

The national championship game in Miami has unusually strong Columbus High School alumni connections.
IU’s Heisman-winning QB Fernando Mendoza, also a Miami fan growing up, is central to the storyline.
Miami’s head coach Mario Cristobal and assistant Alex Mirabal are also Columbus alums, deepening the hometown ties.
School staff feel torn about which side to support, describing it as choosing between kids.
Columbus High is treating the game as a major community event, giving students Tuesday off.

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Sentiments

Positive: The tone is upbeat and celebratory, emphasizing excitement, pride in alumni achievements, and the rarity of the event, with playful remarks about rooting interests and a commemorative day off from school.

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