Could Miami Still Make an At Large Bid in CFP Without An ACC Championship Appearance?
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It's a mosh pit between 10-15 in the College Football Playoff Rankings right now. The Miami Hurricanes are looking to find a way in, sitting at No. 15, but there could be a chance they are one of the first teams to look from the outside in with two weeks remaining.
The Hurricanes have slim chances of making the ACC Championship game. No. 16 Georgia Tech and No. 19 Virginia could clinch their spots this week in this scenario:
Georgia Tech reaches ACC Championship Game if ...
- Beat Pitt
In this scenario, Georgia Tech (7-1 in ACC) locks in berth as first-place team, awaits Virginia or who wins tiebreaker.
Virginia reaches ACC Championship Game if ...
- Beat Virginia Tech
- SMU loses to Louisville or Cal
- Pitt loses to Georgia Tech or Miami
In this scenario, Virginia (7-1) locks in a berth as the first-place team; Georgia Tech or Pitt, or SMU, for second.
The Canes will likely have to get an at-large bid into the dance. Finish 10-2, and the power of resumes will have to do the talking for them.
Their best wins of the season are against No. 9 Notre Dame, No. 24 USF, Florida, and Florida State. This is only going to be a wild show to close the season as the Hurricanes look to scratch their way into the dance for the first time this season.
2025 College Football Playoff Rankings
1. Ohio State, 9-0
2. Indiana, 10-0
3. Texas A&M, 9-0
4. Alabama, 8-1
5. Georgia, 8-1
6. Texas Tech, 9-1
7. Ole Miss, 9-1
8. Oregon, 8-1
9. Notre Dame, 7-2
10. Texas, 7-2
11. Oklahoma, 7-2
12. BYU, 8-1
13. Utah, 7-2
14. Vanderbilt, 8-2
15. Miami (FL), 7-2
16. Georgia Tech, 8-1
17. Southern Cal, 7-2
18. Michigan, 7-2
19. Virginia, 8-2
20. Louisville, 7-2
21. Iowan, 6-3
22. Pittsburgh, 7-2
23. Tennessee, 6-3
24. USF, 7-2
25. Cincinnati, 7-2
Miami in the College Football Playoff Ranking Through 2025
Week 1: No. 18
Week 2: No. 15
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
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.