The No. 12 Miami Hurricanes finished the regular season with a 10-2 record after a 38-7 win over the Pittsburgh Panthers in Week 14 action, missing out on the ACC championship game. Coach Mario Cristobal’s team is one of the most debated teams remaining with a chance to make the 12-team College Football Playoff field on Selection Sunday.
According to PFSN’s College Football Playoff Meter, the Hurricanes have a slim 9.3% chance of clinching a berth in the showcase event.
CFP Chair Non-Commital on Miami’s College Football Playoff Spot
The most significant debate has been between the Hurricanes making it into the field versus the No. 10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who have a similar 10-2 record and lost to coach Mario Cristobal’s team 27-24 in their season opener.
During an appearance on ESPN’s “College GameDay,” College Football Playoff Committee chairman Hunter Yurachek was noncommittal when discussing the Hurricanes’ chances of turning the tables on Notre Dame to clinch a spot in the playoff.
“We’ll evaluate what happens in today’s championship games,” Yurachek said. “There’ll be some impact on what the record strength of teams will be, what the schedule strength will be. There’ll be a difference in win-loss records, potentially common opponents, and of course, head metrics.”
“Watching those games, we’ll use all those tools in our toolbox to rerank those teams tonight and in the early morning.”
The issue of the Hurricanes versus the Fighting Irish for a spot in the College Football Playoff has dominated discourse among both fans and analysts as Selection Sunday has drawn closer.
Despite beating the Fighting Irish, Cristobal’s team has lost to two unranked teams (SMU & Louisville). In contrast, Freeman’s team lost to two ranked teams (Miami & Texas A&M), leading to them being consistently ranked as the lower team.
Nick Saban Supports Miami’s CFP Cause Over Notre Dame
During Saturday’s “College GameDay,” former Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban supported the Hurricanes’ College Football Playoff claim over the Fighting Irish due to their head-to-head record.
“Yeah, but head-to-head, I mean, look at the game,” Saban said. “Miami was the more physical team in the game. Jeremiyah Love gained 33 yards in the game. They won on the line of scrimmage. They kicked Notre Dame’s ass in the game, alright? And that’s being totally not considered.”
The Hurricanes also have higher scoring margins three times against four common opponents with the Fighting Irish. Cristobal’s team beat Pittsburgh 38-7, Notre Dame 37-15, NC State 41-7, Stanford 42-7, and Syracuse 38-7, while Notre Dame beat the Fighting Irish 70-7.
