Despite leading a historic championship run and revitalizing "The U," Mario Cristobal sits behind six rivals in the latest rankings.
Miami, FL. – Before returning to the University of Miami, becoming the 26th head coach in the football program's history, Mario Cristobal spent 11 years coaching at Florida International University and Oregon. Despite being long-gone from the playing days and competing for National Championships, the former Hurricanes offensive tackle never lost touch with old stomping grounds.
Cristobal watched “The U” from afar, but it became unrecognizable. After moving from the Big East to the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Hurricanes only had one double-digit winning season between 2004 and 2022. National Championship contention appeared to be a distant memory until Cristobal officially took over on Dec. 6, 2021.
It was a difficult four-year process, but the 55-year-old helped complete a major turnaround around the Coral Gables campus. He led the Hurricanes to a National Championship appearance last season, the first in over two decades. Regardless of the latest success, Cristobal is looking to keep stepping on the gas pedal.
The Hurricanes’ roster was successfully revamped and is viewed as an early favorite to make another National Championship push. However, the program doesn’t return to its peak without Cristobal’s leadership. He’s emerging as one of college football’s best head coaches, finishing No. 7 in CBS Sports Power Four rankings.
The following is who Cristobal fell behind:
No. 1: Indiana Hoosiers’ Curt Cignetti
No. 2: Georgia Bulldogs’ Kirby Smart
No. 3: Ohio State Buckeyes’ Ryan Day
No. 4: Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s Marcus Freeman
No. 5: Oregon Ducks’ Dan Lanning
No. 6: Texas Longhorns’ Steve Sarkisian
Regardless of landing in the top 10, there is a case to be made that Cristobal should be ranked higher on the list. Before reaching the National Championship game, there were concerns about whether he could truly take the Hurricanes over the top, especially after the letdown loss against the Syracuse Orange during the 2024 season. Questions resurfaced after two losses to the Louisville Cardinals and SMU Mustangs this past college football year.
However, Cristobal shattered every narrative and doubt, responding with a historic postseason run. Entering year five with the program, the Hurricanes are entering a championship-or-bust situation. Cristobal brought in several high-caliber talents, including All-ACC quarterback Darian Mensah and wide receiver Cooper Barkate.
The Miami native successfully established a new winning culture and standard within the program. Instead of claiming “The U is back,” Cristobal prefers to believe that the Hurricanes are progressing in the right direction.
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- Coach Mario Cristobal believes the Miami Hurricanes should face an in-state rival every year.
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Anthony Aguirre is the Miami Hurricanes beat writer for Roundtable Sports. Contact info: [email protected] | 305-987-3290 | Follow on Instagram/X: @AnthonyA_Sports
