Mario Cristobal is one step closer to major honor as Miami prepares for CFP semifinal

Mario Cristobal was named a finalist for the 2025 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award, according to an announcement released by the American Heart Association.

Miami heads into Thursday night's College Football Playoff semifinal against Ole Miss trying to reach the national title game.

Mario Cristobal named finalist for major college football award

Cristobal is one of eight finalists. The full list includes Curt Cignetti (Indiana), Bob Chesney (James Madison), Mike Elko (Texas A&M), Tony Elliott (Virginia), Dan Lanning (Oregon), Clark Lea (Vanderbilt) and Joey McGuire (Texas Tech).

The Bear Bryant Award is billed as the only major college football coaching honor presented after the national champion is determined, and the finalists and winner are voted on by the National Sports Media Association, the Bryant Awards' executive leadership team and the Bryant family.

The winner will be announced Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026 with the event broadcast on CBS Sports Network later that night. Former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer is set to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, and the late Mike Leach will be honored posthumously with the Heart of a Champion Award.

The Miami Hurricanes are in the middle of a national championship race

Miami reached the semifinal by winning two playoff games, including a 10-3 first-round win at No. 7 Texas A&M and a 24-14 upset of No. 2 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl quarterfinal.

Miami is not just having a nice season. The Hurricanes are putting together a season that could go down in the record books for the program. Despite not qualifying for the ACC championship game, Miami now sits two games away from being crowned national champions. If they were to win against Ole Miss on Thursday, they will get to play the winner of Indiana-Oregon. And it would be in Miami's home stadium.