Kirk Herbstreit sends message to Utah, Kyle Whittingham after Pac-12 title
Utah put on an impressive performance Friday night en route to a Pac-12 Championship victory over Oregon. Kirk Herbstreit was calling the game for ESPN, and he had a message for the Utes and coach Kyle Whittingham afterward.
Herbstreit took to Twitter to congratulate Utah on the win — and the Rose Bowl game appearance that comes with it.
“Congratulations Coach Whittingham and @Utah_Football on their dominating performance tonight in Vegas!” Herbstreit tweeted. “Such an impressive TEAM-congrats on winning your 1st @pac12 title and heading to Pasadena and the @rosebowlgame. Can’t wait to see you and all the Utah fans in California!”
No. 17 Utah defeated No. 10 Oregon 38-10 Friday night behind a balanced offensive attack. Quarterback Cameron Rising went 15 for 24 for 170 yards and a touchdown, and running back Tavion Thomas rushed for 63 yards and two touchdowns.
Oregon, meanwhile, didn’t find the end zone until the fourth quarter. Travis Dye scored with 5:17 left, but it was too little too late as the Utes already had the game sealed.
The victory moved the Utes to 10-3 heading into the final College Football Playoff rankings, which come out Sunday. Oregon fell to 10-3 with the loss.
Report: Miami offer could make Oregon’s Mario Cristobal highest paid Canes coach ever
The University of Miami has offered to make current Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal the highest paid football coach in school history, according to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. There is no agreement in place between the two sides, but the report suggests Miami efforts are in ‘advanced stages.’
“Miami’s offer for (Mario) Cristobal would make him by far the highest paid coach Miami ever had,” Jackson tweeted. “Miami’s efforts are in advanced stages, but Cristobal obviously will need to say yes. (We’ll see). Miami banking on lure of working in hometown for alma mater for good money and giving him what he needs.”
Cristobal is a Miami native who played for the Hurricanes from 1989-92 before starting his coaching career in 1998 as a graduate assistant. The 51-year old coach spent time on staff from 1998-2000, then again as the tight end coach and offensive line coach from 2004-2006.
Since then, Cristobal has emerged as one of college football’s best coaches. In four seasons as head coach at Oregon, he has accumulated a 35-13 record, including a 2-2 run in bowl games. Cristobal led the Ducks to 2019 and 2020 Pac-12 titles with another conference championship game appearances in 2021.