Trump, Rubio to attend national college football title game in Miami

• "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.

• Trump has a UM connection: his granddaughter, Kai Trump, has committed to play for UM's golf team.
• 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.