Mario Cristobal isn’t going to talk his way into the college football media’s good graces. At this point, the only thing that will do it is winning - and then winning again, with trophies in hand.
ESPN’s recent ranking of the top 10 coaches in college football put Indiana’s Curt Cignetti at No. 1, a placement the source material says makes sense. Cristobal, whose team was the only one to give the Hoosiers any real trouble in the playoffs, landed in a tie for 10th with Kalen DeBoer.
The list drew plenty of skepticism. Ryan Day was still slotted as a top-five coach despite winning just one title while having what the source describes as the best roster in college football nearly every season. Ohio State also lost twice in that championship season, including a loss to a .500 Michigan team, and the Buckeyes were knocked out of the CFP last season by the same team the source says eliminated them.
Cristobal’s placement came with its own wrinkle. ESPN did not reveal who voted or how many people were involved, only saying that college football writers took part.
The source says Cristobal had four voters who ranked him as high as eighth, while four others left him off the ballot entirely. That split, in the source’s view, says less about Cristobal’s current coaching and more about how one bad moment can stick to a coach’s reputation.
That moment is the late-game meltdown against Georgia Tech in 2023, which still hangs around his name. It was a rough scene, but the source argues Cristobal has been better since then, showing growth, adjustment, and a willingness to learn from it.
The frustration with the rankings goes beyond Cristobal’s spot. The source calls the list lazy and points out that Miami beat three of the nine coaches ranked ahead of Cristobal last season. Mike Elko and Lane Kiffin are singled out as examples of coaches the source believes have done less, while Dan Lanning is described as someone known mainly for winning a lot of games that do not carry the same weight.
For Miami, the message is simple: the Hurricanes need to win the ACC this year. That alone may not change the way the college football media views Cristobal, and it certainly won’t erase the criticism tied to that Georgia Tech loss three seasons ago. But it would remove a burden that has lingered over the program for more than 20 years.
And in the end, that’s the point. Success and championships are the only arguments that really stick. The more Miami stacks under Cristobal, the harder it becomes to keep doubting him.
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