Mario Cristobal’s coaching tenure has been marked by consistent success, with his teams frequently earning spots in the Associated Press (AP) Preseason Top 25 rankings. As a head coach in the Power Five conferences, Cristobal’s teams have been ranked in five of his six seasons, showcasing his ability to build competitive programs.
Cristobal’s first Power Five head coaching role came in 2018 with the Oregon Ducks. Under his leadership, Oregon was ranked in the AP Preseason Top 25 in all four of his seasons there. The Ducks kicked off the 2018 season ranked 24th, with 148 points in the preseason poll. They went on to finish the year with a 9-4 record, including a 5-4 mark in the Pac-12, finishing two games behind Washington and Washington State in the Pac-12 North.
In 2019, Oregon started the season ranked 11th in the AP Top 25, with 860 points in the preseason poll. That year, the Ducks had their most successful campaign under Cristobal, finishing with a 12-2 record, an 8-1 conference mark, a Pac-12 Championship, and a victory over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. Oregon’s only losses that season were to Auburn and Arizona State. The Ducks capped off the year ranked fifth in both major polls.
The 2020 season saw Oregon start ranked ninth in both the AP Top 25 and the USA Today Coaches Poll. However, the loss of star quarterback Justin Herbert led to a 4-3 finish. Despite the challenges, Oregon managed to win the Pac-12 Championship, defeating USC 31-24, and finished the season ranked 25th in the final AP poll.
In 2021, Oregon began the season ranked 11th in the AP Top 25, with North Carolina just ahead at 10th. The Ducks got off to a strong 4-0 start, including a victory at Ohio State. They were 9-1 by November but stumbled in the final stretch, losing twice to Utah, including in the Pac-12 Championship Game. Cristobal did not coach in Oregon’s 47-32 loss to Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl, as he had been hired by Miami three weeks prior.
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Cristobal’s arrival at Miami brought high expectations. The Hurricanes began the 2022 season ranked 16th in the AP Top 25 and climbed as high as 13th before a three-game losing streak knocked them out of the rankings. In 2023, Miami re-entered the rankings after a 4-0 start, reaching 17th, but back-to-back losses to Georgia Tech and North Carolina again pushed them out of the poll.
Looking ahead to 2024, Miami is anticipated to start the season ranked in the teens in the AP Top 25, signaling renewed optimism as Cristobal continues to strengthen the program with key additions.
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