CFP Committee Chair Gives Terrible Explanation for Why Notre Dame is Higher Than Miami
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Why play the game? That is the biggest question coming from the latest College Football Playoff rankings that still has Notre Dame ranked higher than the Miami Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes were on a downward spiral ahead of the first rankings, but now, they are starting to get closer to No. 9 Notre Dame, which will force the committee to do something they clearly don't want to do: acknowledge the head-to-head game between Miami and Notre Dame.
"I think when you look, Notre Dame and Miami, we really compare the losses of the two teams," new committee chair Hunter Yuracheck said. "Miami has lost to two unranked teams. Notre Dame has lost to two teams that are ranked in our top 13, so we really haven't compared those two teams. They haven't been in similar comparison pools to date, but Miami is creeping up into that range where they will be compared to Notre Dame if something happens above them."
This throws everything into a spiral when one of the losses to the Fighting Irish is Miami.
Head coach Mario Cristobal knows this as well. It is the reason that the Hurricanes play the schedule that they have.
"I would say the number one criteria for anything is always head-to-head. I mean, it's why we play the game, right?" Cristobal said. "So I think that always has been, and always will be, the number one factor in determining whatever relates to whatever."
Moreover, if the Hurricanes handle business like they are supposed to and get closer to being near Notre Dame, the committee will be forced to compare the two teams and their resumes. It starts with playing against each other, where the Hurricanes won. Followed by a similar opponent between NC State, where Miami scored 41 compared to the 36 the Fighting Irish scored.
The losses to SMU and Louisville Hurt the Canes, but each is are solid bowl team that could upset anyone. UM lost to those two teams by a combined nine points. The Hurricanes should be ranked ahead of the Irish; however, with two weeks remaining in the regular season, anything can happen to get Miami into the CFP.
2025 College Football Playoff Rankings
1. Ohio State, 10-0
2. Indiana, 11-0
3. Texas A&M, 10-0
4. Georgia, 9-1
5. Texas Tech, 10-1
6. Ole Miss, 10-1
7. Oregon, 9-1
8. Oklahoma, 8-2
9. Notre Dame, 8-2
10. Alabama, 8-2
11. BYU, 9-1
12. Utah, 8-2
13. Miami (FL), 8-2
14. Vanderbilt, 8-2
15. Southern Cal, 8-2
16. Georgia Tech, 9-1
17. Texas, 7-3
18. Michigan, 8-2
19. Virginia, 9-2
20. Tennessee, 7-3
21. Illinois, 7-3
22. Missouri, 7-3
23. Houston, 8-2
24. Tulane, 8-2
25. Arizona State, 7-3
2025-26 College Football Playoff round-by-round schedule
- First round | Week of Saturday, Dec. 20
Location: the home field of the higher-seeded team or another site designated by the higher-seeded program.
One game | Friday, Dec. 19
Three games | Saturday, Dec. 20 - Quarterfinal sites:
Cotton Bowl | Wednesday, Dec. 31 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
Orange Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1 | 12 p.m. | ESPN
Rose Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1 | 4 p.m. | ESPN
Sugar Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1 | 8 p.m. | ESPN - Semifinal sites:
Fiesta Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
Peach Bowl | Friday, Jan. 9 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN - CFP National Championship Game:
Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 (in Miami, Florida) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
The 2025 College Football Playoff Committee
Hunter Yuracheck - Committee Chair - Arkansas Athletic Director
Chris Ault - Former College Football Head Coach
Troy Dannen - Nebraska Athletic Director
Mark Dantonio - Former College Football Head Coach
Jeff Long - Former College Football Playoff Committee Chair
Ivan Maisel - Sportswriter
Chris Massaro - MTSU Athletic Director
Mike Riley - Former College Football Head Coach
David Sayler - Miami (Ohio) Athletic Director
Wesley Walls - College Football Hall of Famer (Ole Miss)
Carla Williams - Virginia Athletic Director
Mark Harlan - University of Utah Athletic Director
Miami in the College Football Playoff Ranking Through 2025
Week 1: No. 18
Week 2: No. 15
Week 3: No. 13
Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for the Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at Twitter @Justice_News5.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.