Nick Saban has never been shy about giving Mario Cristobal a hard time, even years after the Miami Hurricanes coach left his Alabama staff.
That continued Friday when Saban praised what Cristobal has built at Miami, only to turn the compliment into another jab in their ongoing ACC-SEC debate.
The exchange was another reminder that the relationship between the two coaches has remained close long after their four seasons together in Tuscaloosa. Cristobal worked under Saban at Alabama from 2013 through 2016, serving as assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator and a position coach.
On Friday’s episode of “The Pat McAfee Show,” the former Alabama coach made it clear he believes Miami belongs among the best teams in the country.
“I like Miami,” Saban said. “They’re in the ACC, but I love them. I think Mario’s done a great job there. Done a great job recruiting, putting the roster together. They’re well coached. I’ve watched them play. They’re very good. So, let’s take Miami out of the ACC.”
Nick Saban Keeps Giving Mario Cristobal a Hard Time
The final line was classic Saban-Cristobal.
Saban wasn’t knocking Miami. He was doing almost the opposite, separating the Hurricanes from his broader criticism of the ACC while taking another playful shot at Cristobal’s conference sales pitch.
That argument has apparently become a recurring conversation between them.
In August, On3’s Daniel Hager reported that Cristobal regularly calls Saban trying to convince his former boss that the ACC is better than the SEC.
“He’s always trying to convince me that the ACC is better than the SEC,” Saban said. “The SEC has nine teams in the Top 25. That’s all I know. It’s a deep conference. I know it is.”
Saban then made his position even clearer.
“He’s never gonna convince me,” Saban said. “Never gonna convince me that the ACC is better than the SEC.”
During that same appearance, Saban also called Cristobal “the best salesman in the history of ball” and joked that if the Miami coach were ever fired, he would become “the best used car salesman in south Florida.”
Cristobal has been more than willing to fire back.
Mario Cristobal Still Jabs His Former Alabama Boss
Their back-and-forth was especially noticeable during Miami’s College Football Playoff run last season.
After Miami beat Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, On3’s Dan Morrison detailed how Saban used Cristobal’s appearance on “College GameDay” to question the Hurricanes using a goal-line formation on third-and-3.
Cristobal immediately reminded Saban that television apparently had changed him.
“How about if you’ve got two downs?” Cristobal said. “You used to have that kind of mentality but now that you’re in the big business and the TV world, I guess you picked up on it.”
A little more than a week later, Saban criticized Miami’s clock management before halftime against Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl. Cristobal responded by citing the very philosophy he learned from Saban at Alabama, even joking that he could produce his former coach’s notebook to prove it.
The familiarity makes sense. Alabama’s official records show Cristobal joined Saban’s staff in February 2013 and remained through the 2016 season, helping recruit and develop some of the Crimson Tide’s most talented rosters.
Years later, Saban still sounds comfortable enough to needle his former assistant publicly, and Cristobal sounds just as comfortable giving it back.
Saban’s latest joke came with plenty of praise attached. Miami has opened 2026 with two wins after reaching the national championship game last season, giving Cristobal even more ammunition for those phone calls about the ACC.
Saban may never buy that sales pitch.
He clearly still enjoys hearing it.
Nick Saban Reveals His True Feelings on Miami’s Place in the ACC