Can Miami make the College Football Playoff? Explaining Canes’ chances after OT loss to SMU originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Miami fell to SMU 26-20 in overtime on Saturday, and now the question becomes what to make of their postseason chances after two losses in the last three weeks.
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The Canes entered as 3.5-point favorites and Miami led 20-17 with 2:47 left. In front of its home crowd, SMU drove down the field and kicker Sam Keitner, who had just missed a 42-yarder earlier in the quarter, made a 38-yarder to tie it and send the game to overtime.
On Miami’s overtime possession, Carson Beck threw a pick to give SMU the ball back.
With the 26-20 loss, let’s take a look at if Miami has a shot at making the playoff with two losses.
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Is Miami out of the playoff?
It appears that Miami may be on the outside looking in, even with a 10-2 finish. This would be the second straight year Miami would be one of the first teams out a second consecutive season. Miami now has two losses, both to unranked opponents in Louisville and SMU. Although both teams have respectable records, with the Cardinals being 6-1 and the Mustangs moving to 6-3 with the victory.
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Miami’s trump card is a Week 1 win over Notre Dame, another team that could be seeking an at-large with two losses. Miami’s other quality wins — South Florida and Florida State, have lost some luster as the season has gone on.
Miami entered Saturday’s game with a 46.4 percent chance to make the playoff per ESPN’s FPI, so the Canes were already on shaky ground. Although the Canes’ two losses to Louisville and SMU were to teams with winning records, neither of them were ranked.
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ACC Standings
The biggest issue for Miami is that an already difficult road to the ACC championship almost became impossible on Saturday. The Hurricanes fell into seventh place in the league, and the top two teams will make it to Charlotte. Both SMU and Louisville are ahead of the Canes, and own the tie-breaker against both. And Georgia Tech and Virginia are still undefeated in league play. Neither plays Miami.
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The winner of the ACC championship game will get an automatic bid in the College Football Playoff.
MORE: The latest on Texas’s chances at CFP at-large after Vandy win
|
Team |
ACC Record |
Overall |
|
Georgia Tech |
5-0 |
8-0 |
|
Virginia |
4-0 |
7-1 |
|
Pitt |
4-1 |
6-2 |
|
SMU |
4-1 |
6-3 |
|
Duke |
4-1 |
4-3 |
|
Louisville |
3-1 |
6-1 |
|
Miami |
2-2 |
6-2 |
|
Wake Forest |
2-2 |
5-2 |
|
Virginia Tech |
2-2 |
3-5 |
|
California |
2-2 |
5-3 |
|
Stanford |
2-3 |
3-5 |
|
Clemson |
2-4 |
3-5 |
|
NC State |
1-3 |
4-4 |
|
North Carolina |
1-3 |
3-5 |
|
Syracuse |
1-5 |
3-6 |
|
Florida State |
0-4 |
3-4 |
|
Boston College |
0-5 |
1-7 |
Miami remaining schedule
Here’s a look at Miami’s schedule moving forward. It should be favored in all four games, but none will be considered a quality win with the committee unless Pitt continues its hot play of late. NC State, Syracuse and Virginia Tech all are currently with losing records.
|
Date |
Opponent |
|
Nov. 8 |
vs. Syracuse |
|
Nov. 15 |
vs. NC State |
|
Nov. 22 |
@ Virginia Tech |
|
Nov. 29 |
@ Pitt |
Head coach Mario Cristobol will face some heat if he misses the playoff for the second consecutive season.
