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CFP chair explains decision to rank Miami ninth after Georgia Tech loss

Speaking after the College Football Playoff rankings were released on Tuesday night, committee chairman Warde Manuel explained Miami being ranked ninth.

By Alan Rubenstein

Nov 9, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Marquise Lightfoot (12) tackles Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. (2) in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Nov 9, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Marquise Lightfoot (12) tackles Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. (2) in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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College Football Playoff committee chairman and Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel explained Miami being ranked ninth in the release of the second 2024 rankings. Miami fell five spots after being ranked fifth last week following their 28-23 loss at Georgia Tech at Saturday.

The committee valued Miami losing on the road and was clearly impressed with Georgia Tech based on the comments made by Manuel. Whatever metrics the CFP committee uses are not made public. Miami is 11th and Georgia Tech is 38th in the ESPN Football Power Index.

Miami has the 54th toughest strength of schedule nationally and the 43rd most difficult remaining schedule. Wake Forest is at Miami on November 23 and the Hurricanes finish the regular season at Syracuse on November 30. If Miami wins out they will play in the ACC Championship Game on December 7 in Charlotte.

Getting to the ACC Championship Game will improve Miami's SOS. SMU currently leads the ACC. SMU finishes the season versus Boston College, at Virginia and against California at home. If SMU wins out they will also be in the ACC Championship game. If SMU loses, they could finish in a three-way tie with Clemson and Miami.

"Well, the obvious is the first loss for Miami...That obviously played a factor into it. Georgia Tech is coming on. They now have both their quarterbacks playing in the game. They were on the road...So it came down to factoring in those games, a close game that Miami lost to Georgia Tech... So we just factored everything in and took a look at the competitiveness. Both teams are very good from our perspective, but based on the season as well as what they did last week, that's how we made the judgment of how they fell."

- CFP Chairman Warde Manuel

Miami needs to keep winning and not put the committee in a place to make a decision. Wins over Wake Forest and Syracuse and in the ACC Championship game would earn Miami an automatic berth to the CFP. Where Miami would be seeded after that would depend on other results.

Miami is currently the fourth seed as the highest-ranked ACC team in the CFP rankings. Oregon remained the top seed in the CFP and the leader in the Big 10. Texas is third overall and would be the second seed as the highest ranked team in the SEC and BYU who is sixth overall is the third seed as the highest ranked Big XII team.

The top four conference champions receive first-round byes. Boise State is currently 13th in the CFP rankings but would earn a berth as the highest-ranked Group of Five champion. SMU is one spot behind Boise State and is currently the second team out of the CFP.

The other teams who would be in the CFP per the current rankings are Ohio State which is second but would be the third seed as the second highest ranked Big 10 team, followed by Penn State, Indiana, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Alabama and Mississippi as the final at-large teams.

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