Miami tied for 30th nationally with a B+ grade from Paul Myberg of USA Today in his "Report card time. College football season grades for all 134 teams. Who got an A?" Myerberg graded each team relative to their expectations. Miami finished the season ranked 18th in both polls after being 19th in the preseason.
Miami was one of 10 FBS teams to receive a B+ from Myerberg. Clemson and Louisville in the ACC and Florida were among the other nine teams to receive a B+. Duke with an A- and SMU with an A+ were the only ACC teams that received higher grades than Miami for their 2024 seasons.
Myerberg explained in his article that he weighted key games and performance versus rivals in his grading. Miami won 41-17 in the season opener at Florida and beat Florida State 36-22, but their 42-38 loss at Syracuse in the last game of the regular season cost them all their major preseason goals.
Arizona State, Boise State and Indiana were the only teams other than SMU to receive an A+ grade. All four teams were surprise participants in the College Football Playoff. Miami would have almost guaranteed themselves a College Football Playoff berth with a win over Syracuse.
Bowl games are glorified exhibitions, sure, but the way Miami ended this season is the epitome of disappointment. Canes had their destiny in their hands. End up losing three of their last four.
— Andrea Adelson (@aadelsonESPN) December 29, 2024
Miami was ranked 13th in the final College Football Playoff rankings before the postseason. The ESPN Football Power Index has Miami 11th in their final rankings which includes the playoffs and bowl games. The Pop-Tarts Bowl loss to Iowa State marked the third time in as many years Miami has lost three of four games to finish the season.
Judging the 2024 Miami season has to be from two perspectives. Finishing 10-3 and a spot higher than their preseason ranking is a successful season. Beginning the 2024 season with nine straight wins and putting themselves in position to make the College Football Playoff and not getting there is definitely the epitome of disappointment.