The Miami Hurricanes’ promising 2024 season came to an end in disappointment, as the team finds itself ranked No. 12 in the final College Football Playoff rankings ahead of Sunday’s selection show. A late-season collapse, marked by two losses in the final three games, has all but sealed Miami’s fate: the Hurricanes are on the outside looking in as the first team out of the playoffs.
Miami entered the final week of the season in a strong position, ranked No. 6 in the CFP standings and aiming to secure a spot in the 12-team playoff. With a win over Syracuse, the Hurricanes would have clinched a spot in the ACC Championship Game, earning a shot at one of the four first-round byes. But a shocking 42-38 loss to the Orange in Week 14 eliminated Miami from the ACC title race, simultaneously ending the Canes’ playoff dreams. This defeat, combined with earlier losses to an unranked Georgia Tech, dropped the Canes to No. 12 behind Alabama, who secured the final spot in the bracket at No. 11.
Selection committee chair Warde Manuel explained that the decision came down to Miami’s late-season struggles compared to Alabama’s stronger performance against ranked opponents. “What it came down to is that we evaluated both teams and looked at how they rank,” Manuel said. “Alabama is 3-1 against current top-25 teams, and Miami is 0-1. Miami has lost twice in its final three games, and we felt Alabama got the edge based on their overall body of work.”
Despite the Hurricanes’ explosive offense, led by Heisman hopeful Cam Ward, and their top-10 ranking in total yards and points per game, the committee cited their inconsistent defense and lack of key victories over ranked teams as significant factors in their exclusion from the playoffs. Miami head coach Mario Cristobal had argued that the Hurricanes’ 10-2 record, coupled with their narrow losses, should warrant consideration. “We won 10 games this year, and not many teams have,” Cristobal said on WQAM, the Hurricanes’ flagship station. “Our losses came down to one possession, which is a very different résumé than the 9-3 teams.”
ESPN analysts weighed in on the committee’s decision, with Booger McFarland questioning the fairness of ranking Alabama ahead of Miami despite the latter’s fewer losses. “Miami is 10-2 and Alabama is 9-3, so putting Alabama in over Miami seems like a slippery slope when these schedules are unbalanced,” McFarland said. Joey Galloway, however, defended the committee’s choice, citing Miami’s poor finish to the season. “When you lose to unranked teams, now whatever the committee says, I’m okay with,” Galloway said.
Now, the Hurricanes’ postseason hopes hinge on a bowl game. While their playoff dreams have been dashed by late-season struggles, Miami still has a chance to cap off what has been a promising season. The opportunity remains to end the season with good looks, setting the stage for a future that, with the right adjustments, could once again see the ‘Canes competing for college football’s biggest prizes.