Mario Cristobal comments about facing Cal, trip to Berkeley on ESPN College Gameday

Appearing on ESPN College Gameday, Miami head coach Mario Cristobal discussed multiple topics that included California head coach Justin Wilcox and the travel to Berkeley on Saturday. Miami traveled 2,576 miles from Coral Gables to Berkeley on Thursday. That is the longest 2024 continental trip in College Football per Gameday.

Wilcox is in his eighth season at California where he played in the late 1990s. Cristobal and Wilcox faced each other from 2018 through 2021 when the Miami head coach held the same position at Oregon. Cristobal enters the game on Saturday night with a 3-1 head-to-head versus Wilcox.

Oregon won 42-24 in 2018, 17-7 in 2019 and 24-17 in 2021. Wilcox led California to their only win versus a Cristobal-coached team 21-17 during the Covid-shortened 2020 season. Wilcox is the only coach in the ACC Cristobal shared a conference with before being hired by Miami.

Wilcox is 39-44 in seven-plus seasons at California. With a 3-1 start, California has an opportunity to have its best season with Wilcox as the head coach. California finished 8-5 in 2019. The 2019 season included a 35-20 win over Illinois in the final Red Box Bowl. California is 1-2 in three bowl games under Wilcox.

"Well, it starts with the head coach. The guy's an outstanding football coach and his demeanor, his DNA you see it in their football team. They're tough, they're physical, they play sound football, they don't make mistakes and they take the ball away and when they do so they capitalize."

- Mario Cristobal on ESPN College Gameday

Associated Press writer Tim Reynolds reported on the Miami pre-game show the Hurricanes' round-trip to Berkeley is 1,000 more miles than North Carolina will travel for ACC games in the last two seasons. Cristobal discussed the planning that went into traveling to Berkeley this week.

"You make out of it what you want to make out of it you know we came out a day early we adjusted every day and pushed an hour back so it wasn't that big of a deal and it can't be that big of a deal what only matters here is that they got a great football team we got a great football team let's go kick off the ball and find out."

- Mario Cristobal on ESPN College Gameday.

This is the first time Miami will play a game in the Pacific Time Zone since losing 24-17 in the 2008 Emerald Bowl at what was then known as AT&T Park, AKA the San Francisco Giants home stadium. In its only game at California, Miami won 52-24 in week two of the 1990 season. Cristobal was on the 1990 team.

Miami has also made trips to San Diego State and Washington in their history. In addition to the 1990 game at California for Cristobal, he was also accustomed to traveling from the Pacific Time Zone to Miami and back when he was the coach at Oregon. Cristobal is extremely meticulous and well-organized.

Cristobal's organization will help Miami be prepared for the game on Saturday night. Getting to Berkeley on Thursday should help Miami to be acclimated when the game kicks off at 10:30 PM Eastern Time on Thursday. Most teams arrive for a game the day before they are scheduled to play.

Miami has to put the distractions behind them. That includes the late kickoff time. Most fans nationally will be watching Miami at California with only a few other games being played at the same time. Getting a win to improve to 6-0 for the first time since 2017 will build momentum entering the bye week,

Cristobal will have Miami ready. California will be the best defense Miami has played so far this season. California is first nationally in interceptions. Expect the Bears to rely on the run and control the ball. Miami has to play mistake-free. Cam Ward had four turnovers versus California in 2023.