Mario Cristobal new role as underdog in rivarly game Miami football vs FSU
Mario Cristobal is in a different role as head coach of the underdog team in the primary rivalry when the Miami football team hosts Florida State on Saturday. Cristobal was 3-1 in three seasons as the head coach at Oregon versus Oregon State. Oregon was ranked in the top 15 nationally against Oregon State from 2019-21.
Neither Florida State nor Miami are ranked entering their game on Saturday. Oregon was ranked 11th when they played Oregon State in 2021, ninth in 2020 and 14th in 2019. Oregon was not ranked in their first game against Oregon State in 2018 under Cristobal. Oregon was at least a double-digit favorite versus Oregon State since 2018.
The only loss by Cristobal at Oregon to Oregon State was 41-38 in 2020. Offensive tackle Penei Sewell and safety Javon Holland both sat out the 2020 season due to covid. Oregon finished the 2020 season with a 4-3 record. Oregon State had a 2-5 record in 2020. Oregon 2-2 versus spread against Oregon from 2018-21.
Cristobal knows the importance of the Florida State Miami football rivalry. Miami entered the game last season with four straight wins against Florida State and as a 2.5-point favorite. The Miami football team began the season ranked 16 and 17 in the two major college football polls and Florida State was unranked.
Miami plummeted out of the top 25 following losses to Texas A&M and Middle Tennessee State. Florida State is currently 35th overall under others receiving votes in the AP top 25. The Seminoles ended a three-game losing streak with a 41-16 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday. Miami holds a 35-31 lead all-time versus FSU.
Cristobal was 3-1 as a player versus Florida State and 2-4 as a graduate assistant and assistant coach at Miami in two stints in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Prior to the four-game Miami winning streak, Florida State won seven games in a row against the Hurricanes. This is the first time FSU is favored versus Miami since 2017.
In the four games as Oregon with Cristobal as head coach against Oregon State, the Ducks outscored the Beavers 155 to 95. That’s an average of 38.75 to 23.75. Oregon had a huge talent advantage over Oregon State. In the 2021 247 Sports team talent composite, Oregon ranked ninth and Oregon State was 49th.
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The talent gap between Florida State and Miami is much smaller. Miami has the 13th most talented 2022 roster per 247 Sports and Florida State is 17th. Cristobal is not likely to dominate his Florida State with Miami, the same way he did Oregon State at Oregon. Saturday begins a new era for Cristobal and Miami.