Miami Football coach Mario Cristobal takes shot at Florida and FSU following win
Opening day for Florida Football could not have gone any more poorly as the Gators were run off the field at home by Miami. With both Billy Napier and Mario Cristobal in their third seasons of their respective programs, we had written before the contest that the game had the feel of an old-school WWF Loser Leaves Town match.
Napier is still in town, but his days may be numbered. Meanwhile, Cristobal is riding the wave and wants everyone in the Sunshine State to know about it.
Florida Football: Try Winning Next Time
Miami beat FSU 36-14 last night for their first win in the rivalry since 2020. The Hurricanes are now 8-0 and now have an 89% chance of making the playoffs in 2024.
After the game, Cristobal made sure to let everyone know who is in charge in the Sunshine State.
"All recruits, in-state, out of state, can now clearly see the trajectory of this program versus the other programs (in the state)."
All is fair in love and war, and when compared to Florida or FSU, he is correct. The simple reality is if Gator or Seminole fans don't like the sentiment, both will have a chance to prove it next season.
But you know the whole stones in a glass house thing? Miami has taken advantage of having the ACC refs in their back pocket, and it's not unfair to state that they could easily be 5-3 if some 50/50 calls went the other way.
Plus, for all the talk of forward trajectory, the 8-0 Miami Hurricanes are still outside the top 10 in recruiting. Yes, Florida and FSU are inept right now in recruiting, but that has as much to do with their five combined wins as anything else.
Perhaps the final warning sign to Hurricane fans is that even if this year goes well, there is no promise it will carry on to next season.
You know the team they just beat? How did last season go for them, and what was the mechanism they used to get their talent? What happened when that same mechanism failed them this year?
Remember how Cam Ward almost didn't wind up at Miami because he nearly went to the NFL? So what happens next year if Miami doesn't wind up with a golden ticket at QB?