President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio plan to attend Monday's college football championship game in Miami.
Why it matters: Rubio is one of Trump's favorite Cabinet members, and the two have grown increasingly close in part because of their love of football.
- "They like to bro out over football. It's not all talk about Venezuela," said an insider.
Whom they're rooting for: Trump hasn't declared a favorite, aides say, but he has praised Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza, this year's Heisman Trophy winner.
- Rubio, a Miami native and friend of Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal, is "100 percent" for UM.
Between the ethnic lines: Rubio's rooting for the Hurricanes might be a bit of an outlier in Miami because he went to the University of Florida.
- Cuban-American solidarity may trump school loyalty: Many Miami-based Cuban Americans—including longtime Rubio allies—are rooting for Indiana's Mendoza, a fellow Cuban American.
- Miami's other famous Cuban American, Pitbull, is performing at halftime. After UM beat Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, he posted "DAMN. I LOVE MIAMI" on X.
- Another reason Rubio likes the Hurricanes: His son, Anthony Rubio, grew up playing football with some of the Miami players. Anthony Rubio, though, went to UF and walked on for the Gators.
The intrigue: Mendoza grew up about a mile from UM, wanted to go to Miami but was mystifyingly not offered a scholarship by Cristobal.
- Mendoza's dad played on the same football team as Cristobal at Columbus High School in Miami, which Mendoza also attended.
- Mendoza's mom played tennis for UM.
- Now Mendoza has a Heisman, and his team is favored to win over the school that snubbed him in his home town.
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