Mario Cristobal on No. 18 USF: 'They are not Ranked High Enough'
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In the minds of Mario Cristobal and No. 5 Miami, they are treating this game against No. 18 USF like another top 10 opponent.
After defeating No. 6 Notre Dame, the Hurricanes had an easier time against Bethune-Cookman, defeating the Wildcats 45-3.
Now all of Miami's attention is on the Bulls, who are the only program in the country with two ranked wins.
"They are not ranked high enough, quite honestly," Cristobal said during an appearance on The Joe Rose Show on 560 WQAM on Monday morning. "Everybody talks about how athletic their quarterback is, but he hasn't thrown an interception in 240+ attempts. He is accurate and gets the ball out on time and knows how to extend plays."
Cristobal also knows that this won't be the same defense that the Canes put 50 on last season.
"They are an active and disruptive defense," Cristobal said. "They carry a large menu with what they do and play multiple fronts and multiple coverages."
UM's fourth-year head coach is preparing his team for anything. He is stressing the importance of this game and the moment to them, knowing that the coach Alex Golesh will have his team prepared to fight to their last breath.
"We want to stress being where your feet are," Cristobal said. "In college football, every week you play, humility is one week away. Everybody has good players. If you don't prepare, you are going to get your butt kicked. This is as good of a football team as we will play this season and the evidence is all over the tape. We have to get a helluva lot better to accomplish what we want to accomplish."
For the Hurricanes, it is about playing a clean game against the Bulls. They have to do the little things that will help them win against their second-ranked opponent of the season.
"On offense we have continuity with the third year of that system," Cristobal said. "On defense, even though it is a new system, the regimen and teaching structure is recognized quickly and it is systematic. We have gained a lot of ground in that department. We have also made a lot of good decisions after the whistle. When guys get their facemask grabbed or punched in the crotch—the stuff that happens in football—and not retaliate to get a 15 yard penalty. We are doing things that lead to winning football."
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for the Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at Twitter @Justice_News5.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.