CBS Sports college football quadrant system, similar to the net ratings used in basketball, ranks Miami fifth overall. The ranking, ranging from first to 134, is not based solely on metrics. In his article, David Cobb discusses the discrepancies in conference schedules, among other topics.
The ACC could finish the regular season with three teams undefeated in the conference. Clemson, Miami and SMU will not play each other in 2024. Pittsburgh, the other remaining undefeated team, plays Clemson and SMU during a three-week span in November. The road to the ACC Championship game runs through Pittsburgh.
Cobb stated the CFP selection committee, per their own website has to rank the teams "based on the members' evaluation of the teams' performance on the field, using conference championships won, strength of schedule, head-to-head results, and comparison of results against common opponents."
Florida State and Louisville are the only common opponents for Clemson, Miami and SMU. Clemson and SMU already beat FSU. Miami beat Louisville on Saturday and plays FSU this week. Clemson hosts Louisville on November 2. Miami is a heavy favorite on Saturday versus FSU and Clemson will be favored versus Louisville.
"Quad 1David Cobb CBS Sports
1-15 home
1-20 neutral
1-25 road
Quad 2
16-40 home
21-45 neutral
26-50 road
Quad 3
41-75 home
46-85 neutral
51-95 road
Quad 4
76-134 (or FCS) home
86-134 neutral
96-134 road"
Miami is currently fifth in the CBS Sports 1-134, Clemson is eighth, Pittsburgh 15th and SMU 20th. Pittsburgh is the only four of the four ranked ACC teams who will has big opportunities to move up in the rankings. Miami will be big favorite in all five of its remaining 2024 games.
The remaining teams on the 2024 Miami schedule are Florida State who is 97th in the CBS Sports rankings, Duke who is 30th, Georgia Tech at 46, Wake Forest at 86th and Syracuse who is 27th. Duke, Georgia Tech and Syracuse are quadrant two games for Miami and Florida State and Wake Forest are quad four games.
"5. MiamiCBS Sports
Q1 (0-0)
Q2 (2-0): W 41-17 at Florida, W 52-45 at Louisville
Q3 (3-0): W 50-15 at South Florida, W 38-34 vs. Virginia Tech, W 39-38 at Cal
Q4 (2-0): W 56-9 vs. Florida A&M, W 62-0 vs. Ball State
What's left: vs. Florida State (Q4), vs. Duke (Q3), at Georgia Tech (Q2), vs. Wake Forest (Q4), at Syracuse (Q2)"
With a 12 game regular season plus a potential conference championship versus 30 the the conference tournaments for basketball, the margin of error is much smaller on the gridiron. Miami just has to win out. With a 12-team CFP Miami won't be left out of the playoff if they go undefeated.
Miami is 10th in the ESPN Football Power Index. Florida State is 60th in the FPI, followed by (in the order Miami plays them), Duke who is 64th, Georgia Tech at 37th, Wake Forest who is 88th and Syracuse who is 59th. Miami has the 41st toughest strength of schedule nationally and 55th remaining SOS per the FPI.
Stanford, Louisville and North Carolina State are the only ACC teams who had a top 20 SOS per the FPI. Florida and Florida State having subpar seasons significantly hinder Miami. Florida has the 10th toughest SOS and the top remaining SOS. That could help the SOS for Miami in the last month of the season.