College football powerhouse AD sends strong message to CFP committee

Dan Radakovich pleads for the playoff committee honor Miami's head-to-head victory over Notre Dame amid ranking controversies.

University of Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich sent a strong message to the College Football Playoff committee on Monday. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

University of Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich issued a firm public statement on Monday regarding the College Football Playoff selection process. Radakovich leveraged his past experience as a committee member to highlight a perceived injustice in the current rankings. He argued that on-field results must remain the primary factor for postseason inclusion.

The veteran administrator specifically pointed to the Hurricanes' season-opening victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Hard Rock Stadium.

Radakovich noted that Miami defeated the Irish directly and that such outcomes should carry significant weight when comparing resumes with identical records. He emphasized that dismissing head-to-head results threatens the integrity of the regular season.

The controversy centers on the selection committee placing 10-2 Notre Dame at No. 9 while leaving 10-2 Miami at No. 12.

Despite holding the tiebreaker, the Hurricanes remain on the bubble while the Irish sit comfortably in the field. Radakovich urged the committee to recall the electric atmosphere in Miami Gardens and ensure those defining moments actually matter.

Miami Officials And Politicians Cite Head-To-Head Results Over Notre Dame

The debate intensified as Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal and prominent figures joined the conversation. Cristobal argued during an appearance on The Joe Rose Show that his team has peaked at the right time. He noted that the Hurricanes beat three of four common opponents by larger margins than the Irish did.

Cristobal stated that the team clearly controlled the season opener and was the better squad that day. He emphasized that the resume includes back-to-back double-digit win seasons for the first time since 2002-03.

Statistics back up the frustration coming from Coral Gables regarding the playoff hierarchy. Radakovich highlighted that the Hurricanes possess the most statistically balanced team among the cluster of two-loss contenders.

Miami head coach Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes could be on the outside looking in when the College Football Playoff committee announces who is in and who is out. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Miami ranks 12th in total defense and 29th in total offense. The athletic director pointed out that Sagarin rankings place Miami ahead of seven SEC teams. He noted that eight of the program's 10 wins came by 17 points or more while the defense played at its ferocious best.

SEC Network host Paul Finebaum voiced support for the ACC program despite his usual conference leanings. Finebaum stated that the committee has conveniently forgotten the August matchup. He joked that he might be old enough to believe head-to-head results should still matter. The analyst confirmed he stands with Miami despite expecting the committee to favor the independent power.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also weighed in on the dispute on social media. DeSantis responded to betting odds that favored the Irish by warning that ignoring head-to-head results diminishes the value of regular-season play.

The governor previously advocated for Florida State under similar circumstances and argued that tiebreakers must default to on-field results when records are identical.

If ND gets in and Miami doesn’t, it will further erode the importance of the regular season. I’m OK with both getting in, but identical records should mean the head-to-head is the tiebreaker if you have to choose between them. https://t.co/tPRRhqGijb

— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) November 30, 2025

Cristobal believes the eye test favors his roster as they approach the postseason. He praised offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson for utilizing a healthy Carson Beck. The coach claimed Beck has been the best quarterback in the country over the last month.

The Hurricanes will learn their postseason fate during the College Football Playoff selection show reveal on Sunday at noon ET on ESPN.