Miami Hurricanes schedule sets up another College Football Playoff run

The Miami Hurricanes were second last season in the College Football Playoff rankings that were released before their final regular season game against Pittsburgh.

A loss to the Panthers followed up by a blowout loss in the ACC Championship game to Clemson ended the Miami Hurricanes hopes of a bid to the College Football Playoffs. The remaining 2018 schedule sets up nicely for Miami to make another run for a bid at the College Football Playoff.

The Miami Hurricanes have won four straight games after the season-opening, very disappointing and embarrassing 33-17 loss to LSU. The Hurricanes seemed to come out flat against the Tigers.

LSU dominated Miami at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The Tigers took a 27-3 lead at halftime and extended that to 33-3 at the end of three quarters.

Malik Rosier led Miami on a pair of touchdown drives in the fourth quarter to make the score more respectable. Rosier lasted two games and two drives as the Hurricanes first-team quarterback before N’Kosi Perry ceased his opportunity.

Perry now hopes to lead Miami to their first home win over Florida State since 2004 in the second start of his career on Saturday. Miami has rebounded from the season-opening loss to LSU with four consecutive wins. Rosier started against Savannah State and was responsible for five total touchdowns in a road win at Toledo.

Perry relieved Rosier on the third drive against FIU and completed his first ten passes. He was more of a game manager in last week’s win over North Carolina. Now Miami hosts Florida State in the last of a three-game homestand. After this week four of the Hurricanes next five are on the road. It is still a manageable schedule.

In an article earlier this week on ESPN.Com College Football Analyst, Phil Steele examined

“Teams set to rise, fall due to schedule strength.”

Steele has Miami as one of the teams set to rise

.

"“Miami took a drastic tumble when it lost to LSU on a Sunday night to start the season, going from No. 8 down to No. 22. The Hurricanes have been making a steady rise since and should continue their ascent. Right now they sit at No. 17 in the current AP poll.While they do have some road games that will test them, with quarterback N’kosi Perry, they figure to be favored in all their remaining games. If they take care of business, the Hurricanes will be ranked high enough that a win over Clemson in the ACC title game would likely put them into the College Football Playoff.”"

The loss to LSU created a situation that forces Miami to have to win out to earn a bid to the college football playoff. Last season the 10-0 start and even the loss to Pittsburgh created a cushion. If they had defeated Clemson in last season’s ACC Championship game they would have had a chance at the College Football Playoff.

Miami entered the final poll before the ACC Championship game ranked seventh. With Georgia, Alabama and a one-loss Wisconsin in front of them in the

polls

, it would have been difficult for Miami to make the CFP. The best thing that can happen for the Hurricanes this season is for Clemson to go undefeated.

The remainder of the Miami schedule has as Steele said road games will test them, but the Hurricanes need to win out to get a chance to force themselves into the College Football Playoff discussion. As Steele said that would have to include a win over Clemson in the ACC Championship game.

Games at Boston College October 26 on a Friday night and at Virginia Tech November 17 will be difficult. If the Hokies and Hurricanes win out that game will likely decide the ACC Coastal and could be the ACC Primetime game of the Week. The game at BC should have a raucous crowd.

BC’s loss to Purdue and Virginia Tech’s loss to Old Dominion will hinder Miami’s strength of schedule. Road trips to Virginia and Georgia Tech this month and a visit from Duke to Start November round out the Miami Hurricanes schedule.