College Football Insiders: Miami's CFP path, Mario Cristobal's coaching under microscope after costly SMU loss

Miami Hurricanes' coach Mario Cristobal faces scrutiny after a 26-20 overtime loss to SMU dropped the team to a 6-2 record, significantly dimming their College Football Playoff hopes. The loss marks Miami's second defeat in three games, causing their national ranking to fall from No. 2 to No. 18 in the AP Top 25. Under Cristobal, Miami has struggled in late-season games, with a 4-9 record in November matches and a pattern of late-game collapses. CBS Sports' College Football Insiders discussed Cristobal's coaching style, describing him as "hard to work for" and citing his conservative approach in critical situations as a potential factor in the team's underperformance. Despite starting the season strong, Miami has faltered in key games, with all recent regular-season losses occurring when they were favored to win by multiple scores.