The Miami Hurricanes are going to the College Football Playoff National Championship game after taking down Ole Miss 31-27 in a thrilling Fiesta Bowl on Thursday night. And on Friday, Miami head coach Mario Cristobal made an appearance on ESPN for College GameDay ahead of the Oregon-Indiana CFP semifinal.
One of the College GameDay analysts is former Alabama head coach Nick Saban, and Cristobal served as an assistant head coach, offensive line coach, and recruiting coordinator on Saban’s Crimson Tide staff from 2013-2016.
Saban and Cristobal engaged in what turned into hilarious banter on live television.
“Mario, I understand you’re in the finals now,” Saban began. “So, I tried to call and congratulate you today, but no callback. I get it. I understand. Big time now. No problem. Okay? I won’t hold it against you. But I’m going to ask you- do you really think I should handle this diplomatically on national TV, or talk to you as if we’re in a staff meeting in 2015, just the way there’s some things you need to get fixed. How would you rather me do this?”
“Well, I’m sure you’ve had enough time to think about it while you’re getting your makeup done and your eyebrows trimmed,” Cristobal responded. “So, whatever you think is best, coach, go ahead.”
“I’m sure you’ve had enough time to think about it Coach Saban…
While you were getting your makeup done and your eyebrows trimmed 😂😂
I was using your philosophy” ~ @coach_cristobal #CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/Lxu3H2qdNQ
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 9, 2026
Saban chose the coaching, criticism route.
“The one thing that concerned me in the game is you dominated the game, dominated the game,” Saban said. “Your players dominated the game. And they kept shooting themselves in the foot. You know, you didn’t get stopped in the first half one time unless you stopped yourself with a penalty. 25-yard run holding penalty. Holding or a sack. And they converted those things into points, and that’s what kept them in the game. You should’ve been ahead two scores by the half. No question about it. The two-minute before the half where they stole three points. Or if you don’t have field position, it’s not like two-minute at the end of the game. We should have never let him get the ball back.”
“What the hell are you doing?” College GameDay analyst Kirk Herbstreit interjected.
“Come on!” ESPN’s Pat McAfee added.
Cristobal followed with a great response.
“Coach, I hate to stop you, but let me correct you,” Cristobal said. “As by your standards, and I’ll show you your notebook if you want to- if you are under 45 seconds and at your 35, you try to pop a run or a screen. And if you do, you go. But with over a minute, and especially over 1:10, your philosophy was be aggressive and try to get points, and that’s what we did. So, there you go.”
“I need to see that,” Saban quipped. “I may have changed my philosophies since then.”
“You used to be about physicality,” Cristobal said. “Now you’re about trick-dick reverses.”
“I saw a flea flicker last night,” Saban added as the College GameDay crew laughed hard at the exchange. “I saw a third-and-two, some kind of bullsh*t.”
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.