Latest CFP prediction is absolutely infuriating for Miami football fans

The latest College Football Playoff projection offers a potential outcome that would scar Miami — and their fans — for a long time. After the Hurricanes pushed their record to 9-2 with a 34-17 road win at Virginia Tech to stay in the CFP hunt, On3's newest 12-team CFP bracket left Miami out... again.

Miami is first team left out on CFP bracketology

In Andy Staples' updated projection for On3, Miami lands in the first four out column, joined by BYU, Utah and Michigan. The 12-team field includes Tulane and SMU as the final two seeds, with SMU slotted as the projected ACC champion at No. 11 and Tulane in at No. 12 as the Group of Six representative.

Staples pointed out that ESPN keeps sliding Miami in the projected CFP because the Hurricanes are the highest-ranked ACC team, but there needs to be an adjustment made when projecting the bracket. Miami may be the highest ranked ACC team, but they have low odds to even make the ACC title game, thus making them a team likely to only be eligible for an at-large bid. So, when predicting the future, Staples considered teams like SMU and Virginia because they have a cleaner path to Charlotte than Miami.

That is where the frustration starts for Hurricanes fans. Miami is 9-2 overall, 5-2 in ACC play and ranked No. 13 in the CFP rankings (for Week 13), which makes them the top-rated team in the conference heading into the final weekend. The Canes also have a head-to-head win over No. 9 Notre Dame from the season opener in Miami Gardens, yet in Staples' bracket, Notre Dame is safely in at No. 9.

For Miami fans, it feels like a familiar story. The committee has been slow to reward the win over Notre Dame. And now the projections are taking a turn in the at-large bids because of it. All the Canes can do is focus on beating Pitt.