Kirby Smart, Mario Cristobal roast Florida in Gainesville in front of Jon Sumrall
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Kirby Smart and Mario Cristobal coach 2 programs that Florida fans are taught to despise, with Smart leading Georgia and Cristobal coaching Miami.
For Gators followers, it doesn’t get much worse than losing to the Dawgs or Canes, whatever year it is and wherever the game is. Georgia to the north and Miami to the south symbolize 2 football factories that Florida is always looking to outdo, and things can get pretty serious when the rivals collide on the field during the season.
But the setting was slightly different on Monday night in Gainesville during a FWAA/Steve Spurrier awards ceremony. Smart and Cristobal were present for the event, and so was first-year Florida coach Jon Sumrall, who hasn’t coached a game yet for the Gators but knows all too well Florida’s long list of rivals. Despite Georgia and Miami being near the top of that list, Sumrall could read the room and knew it was a time to laugh on Monday night even while Smart and Cristobal gave his new program a little ribbing.
Smart played comedian for a night while on stage, confirming with Spurrier that his daughter was one of the best realtors in Gainesville. Upon getting that confirmation, Smart turned his attention to Sumrall, who was sitting in the audience.
“You’re the fourth coach I’ve played since being at Georgia, so she’s getting a lot of money from sold houses,” said Kirby Smart, as the room erupted in laughter.
Smart wasn’t done though.
“I have tremendous respect for this town. I had no idea how great a basketball town this really was,” said Smart, with laughter filling the room again.
Then it was Cristobal’s turn to poke fun at Florida — in Gainesville.
“Man, I’m in enemy territory, too. You guys are super professional. I’ve never felt so welcome in enemy territory, except last year at The Swamp — 41-17,” said Cristobal, which was a direct shot at Florida for the 41-17 beatdown that Cristobal and the Canes administered to the Gators in Gainesville to begin the 2024 season.
Here is the full video of the Smart-Cristobal comedic tag team that showed up in Gainesville on Monday night:
Here are the top teams in the mix to qualify for the 2026 College Football Playoff. According to Kalshi, Georgia and Miami are in the mix, while Florida is rebuilding under Sumrall and not part of Kalshi’s top 10:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
