MIami football named as teams capable of making a 2024 Cinderella playoff run

The Miami football team will attempt to earn its first College Football Playoff berth entering the 11th season since it began in 2014. Miami has a favorable 2024 schedule with Florida State at home projected as its toughest game. Clemson is not on the 2024 Miami regular season schedule.

Miami has a foundation to make a run to the 2024 College Football Playoff. The Hurricanes return their two top receivers and second and third leader rushers. On defense, Miami should have one of the best defensive lines nationally and have leading tackler Francisco Mauigoa back.

Miami also returns three starters on the offensive line. Mario Cristobal maintained stability on the coaching staff after a high turnover during the 2023 offseason. Running backs coach Matt Merrill and defensive backs coach Chevis Jackson are the only new additions to the Miami staff in 2024.

Miami signed the fourth-best class in the 2024 247 Sports Composite rankings and added 10 transfers. The 2017 and 2020 Miami teams are the only ones that would have earned a playoff berth if 12 teams were selected since the College Football Playoffs began in 2014.

"MIAMI HURRICANES
Miami never finished better than 10th in the four-team CFB Playoff era and only twice made the year-end CFB Playoff rankings. So, this is a program, despite its history, that feels like a bit of an underdog based on recent results.

That could change in 2024. The Hurricanes found a hopeful quarterback solution in the portal, adding Washington State's Cameron Ward. He's the best signal-caller on campus since at least Brad Kaaya and probably longer. Ward should make what was already a top-25 offense in 2024 much better, especially given how much production returns.

The defense is a bit more in question after so many departures in the secondary, but transfer portal successes have eased that issue as well. Miami also has the added benefit of a friendly ACC schedule, which includes missing Clemson while drawing Florida State and Virginia Tech at home. The path is clear for Miami to make a CFB Playoff run."

- Chris Hummer, 247 Sports

Hummer's 247Sports colleague Brad Crawford picked Miami as his last team in the 2024 College Football Playoff in a February post on X. Ward brings dynamism to Miami at QB they have not had since D'Eriq King in 2020. Ward is a true dual-threat QB. Jacolby George and Xavier Restrepo should elevate their games at wide receiver with Ward.

The 2017 season is the only year Miami would have earned a playoff berth since the players were inaugurated in 2014. Miami finished 11th after losing to Clemson in the ACC Championship. In 2020, Miami finished the regular season ranked 18th. The 2020 season was the last time Miami was ranked in the final poll.