Cristobal 'beyond upset' over refs denying Canes tying TD in loss to Irish

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Miami coach Mario Cristobal ripped the ACC officiating crew for not overturning a called incompletion in the end zone that would have given Miami a chance to tie the score Saturday night against Notre Dame. Instead, the top-ranked Hurricanes lost for the first time this season, 31-24. Tight end Elija Lofton appeared to come down with the ball and two feet in bounds in the corner of the end zone with 3 minutes, 43 seconds left in the game. But after he stepped out of bounds while attempting to complete the catch, Fighting Irish safety Luke Talich knocked the ball out. Officials ruled the pass incomplete, and after a brief replay review, the call was upheld. "Really, really disappointed that they negated Elija Lofton's touchdown with two hands on the ball and two feet in bounds, but like we told our team before we left Miami, do not leave it in the hands of the officials because that's what you're going to get out here," Cristobal said in his postgame news conference. "I'm pissed off. It's bulls--- and I'll leave it at that. That's the way it was seen by them. So, I gotta live with it and respect it, and our players gotta live with it, and we gotta do better. Again, don't leave it in the hands of the officials." Playing in its first game without star receiver Malachi Toney, who hurt his ankle in practice on Wednesday, Miami trailed 24-3 early in the third quarter before launching its comeback. Darian Mensah, who had only 49 yards passing in the first half, came alive, finding Cooper Barkate and Lofton for three total touchdowns to help close the gap to 31-24 with 9:53 left in the game. After Notre Dame missed a 53-yard field goal, Miami got the ball in good field possession with a chance to tie. Lofton had a 41-yard reception to put the Canes in scoring position. On fourth-and-6 from the Notre Dame 18, Mensah lofted a ball for Lofton that Miami believed was a catch. Mensah ran over to celebrate because he had no idea the ball came out. "I didn't even see him knock the ball out at the end, so I thought it was a touchdown," Mensah said. "You can't leave it up to one play. Can't leave it in the hands of the officials. I've got to play better. Talich, who had an interception earlier in the game that the Irish converted into a touchdown, offered his perspective on the play. "I took my eyes off my [man] for a second, and then he ended up going vertical, going down the field," Talich said. "Then when I turned around, there was a backshot of the fade, and he went up to make the catch, and we're just taught to play through the hands ... and so that's what I did and was able to get the ball." Cristobal confirmed Toney underwent surgery and said it "went great" and the timeline for his return is about four weeks. He described the injury as "unfortunate." "I've seen Malachi for a long time," Cristobal said. "He's like an alley cat. He always lands perfectly on his feet, no matter what body position he contorts himself into, and one of those freakish [things], during a Wednesday practice in shells when you're not even touching people. He got a little bit tangled up and fell awkward." Toney, who did not travel to South Bend, addressed the team before they left South Florida and told them to bring back the win. "It inspired me to take charge of the team and really just come out and lead these boys. It definitely hurts," Mensah said. "He told us to just come out here and bring it back. So I apologize to him for not being able to do that." Cristobal also apologized for allowing his emotions over the final call to dominate the opening of his postgame comments. "I'm beyond upset, but that's not the way to go here," he said. "I need to be mature and professional about it. Be very honest about my opinion on it, but not point any fingers except at ourselves and go get better."