Miami Hurricanes Are Tenth in the First College Football Playoff Rankings
The Miami Hurricanes are ranked tenth in the initial College Football Playoff rankings for the 2017 season. Although lower than some expected the ranking marks Miami’s first appearance in the rankings. The inaugural College Football Playoff was in 2014.
Some will complain that the Miami Hurricanes are ranked too low with a 7-0 record. They have only won their last four games by a total of 18 points. Miami has still yet to defeat a top 25 team this season.
The Hurricanes can boast having the nation’s longest winning streak at 12 games. They are also the only undefeated team in the ACC. Only three other teams in the Power Five Conferences are currently undefeated. Alabama and Georgia of the SEC and Wisconsin of the Big Ten are the other Power five undefeated teams.
Wisconsin is one spot ahead of Miami. In between the Badgers and number two Alabama are six one-loss teams.
Alabama was a surprise at number two one spot behind Georgia. Those two are headed towards a showdown in the SEC Championship game. If they make it there undefeated the loser will still have an excellent chance at earning a spot in the College Football Playoff.
There will be a lot of outcry from the Miami fan base over their position in the polls. This has nothing to do with how the committee views Miami in terms of anti-bias or any kind of hate.
Miami potentially has three games in front of them that can move them up quickly. The first two of those are this weekend and next weekend.
Miami hosts Virginia Tech on Saturday and Notre Dame a week later. A Miami win over Virginia Tech and a Georgia Tech victory over Virginia would clinch the ACC Coastal Division Championship for the first time.
If they get there Miami would likely face Clemson in the championship game. If they sweep the next two weekends plus defeat Clemson, the Miami Hurricanes will be in the College Football Playoff. The ACC Champion has appeared in each of the first three College Football Playoffs.
Miami Athletic Director Blake James spoke about where Miami is ranked in this season’s inaugural College Football Playoff rankings.
"“I think if our guys take care of business and win out, there isn’t a chance that they’re not in…You look at the level of competition in the ACC and the success of programs in our league, if we’re fortunate enough to be able to go through the league and the league championship without losing, I have full confidence that as the champion of the ACC, we’d be part of the four-team playoff.”"
The players know that if they control what they can they can wind up in the playoff at the end of the season. Linebacker Shaq Quarterman was quoted in the Sun Sentinel.
"“We just control what we can control,” linebacker Shaq Quarterman said. “If we win, there’s no way we can be denied.”"
The other thing going in Miami’s favor is that most of the teams will have to play each other. That will eliminate some of the teams ahead of them. TCU and Oklahoma could play in the Big XII championship game. The Big Ten will sort itself out with three teams in the top ten and Georgia and Alabama will likely play in the SEC Championship game.
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As James said all Miami has to do is continue to win the games in front of them and they should wind up in the playoff. Miami’s ranking at ten isn’t because of a hatred of bias against Miami from the CFP committee or any members of the media.