Back in the late '80s and early '90s, Mario Cristobal was part of a Miami Hurricanes dynasty that defined dominance. As a two-time national champion in 1989 and 1991, he knew what it looked like when a team owned the trenches. Fast forward to the present, and Cristobal-now the head coach at Miami-is channeling that same old-school physicality into something very real and very relevant.
On Wednesday, the Hurricanes delivered their biggest win in over two decades, knocking off Ohio State 24-14 in the Cotton Bowl. And they didn’t just win-they pushed the Buckeyes around up front.
It was a throwback performance, the kind that would’ve made the old Miami teams proud. For a program that’s been chasing its past for years, this felt like more than just a bowl win.
It felt like a statement.
Cristobal, who’s long preached physicality and line-of-scrimmage dominance, had a chance to reflect on that philosophy during an interview with College GameDay the following day. Sitting across from his former boss, Nick Saban, Cristobal shared a lesson he took from their time together at Alabama in the mid-2010s.
"Mass kicks a--." 😤
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) January 1, 2026
Mario Cristobal took Nick Saban's philosophy with him to Miami 😅 pic.twitter.com/nPe8uTnITw
“You used to tell us all the time, ‘Mass kicks ass,’ right?” Cristobal said to Saban, smiling. “We did get some big, massive guys-I guess the best way to say it, coach, is we’re getting better.”
That “mass” was on full display against Ohio State. Miami didn’t just match the Buckeyes physically-they overwhelmed them.
The Hurricanes controlled both lines of scrimmage, setting the tone early and never letting up. It was the kind of performance that starts with recruiting and ends with player development, and Miami’s recent All-ACC haul tells the story.
Defensive end Reuben Bain Jr., offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, and defensive end Akheem Mesidor all earned First Team All-ACC honors this season, anchoring a front that’s become the identity of this team. And the talent runs deep-Miami placed two more linemen on the second team and two on the third. That’s not just depth; that’s dominance.
Now, the Hurricanes turn their attention to the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8, where they’ll meet the winner of the Sugar Bowl. Whether it’s Ole Miss or Georgia, they’re walking into a matchup with a Miami team that’s playing with swagger, size, and something to prove.
Cristobal’s vision is starting to take shape. The Hurricanes are no longer just trying to recapture their past-they’re building something new, and they’re doing it the old-fashioned way: in the trenches.