Miami Hurricanes face reality after Notre Dame loss | D'Angelo

Mario Cristobal followed his head coaching playbook when he did what any leader would do immediately following an emotional-draining loss. The Miami Hurricanes coach vehemently, and blindly, supported his players, no matter the optics, before cooling off with more measured comments the following day.

That was Monday, two days after top-ranked Miami's 31-24 loss at Notre Dame, when realization set in that:

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• By rule, the call on the potential game-tying catch by Elija Lofton was correct. That was not a catch, never has been a catch, and replay officials from the ACC, Miami's home conference, agreed.

• Cristobal channeling his inner Jimmy Johnson does not work when you insist crucial calls will go against you at Notre Dame — "Do not leave it in the hands of the officials because that's what you're going to get out here" — when the officiating crew was from the ACC. Did I mention Miami is in the ACC?

• No matter where he believed Miami would land in the College Football Playoff rankings — it was No. 7 — the Hurricanes remain in total control of their path to the playoff. Their 97.2 percent chance to reach the playoff, according to the Allstate Playoff Predictor, is the best in the country, a total reflection on the ACC. As Miami proved last season, getting in is all that matters.

Miami must win ACC championship game to make playoff

Miami dropping six spots from No. 1 in the latest rankings still means it controls its destiny, but narrowed its margin for error. Now, the 8-1 Hurricanes must do something they never have done in 22 years in the ACC … win the conference championship. Only that would guarantee them a spot in the 12-team playoff, regardless of what else happens.

An unbeaten Miami entering championship weekend would have been in the playoff even with a loss. The loss to Notre Dame drastically lowers that possibility if Miami loses the ACC title game after entering with one loss.

But Miami likely will be a double-digit favorite over anyone it plays in the ACC title game.

Still, we saw Miami struggle against mediocre conference competition twice this year. And the combination of two losses with a weak schedule playing in the junior varsity of Power Four conferences, would put Miami in the same spot as Notre Dame a year ago if it's upset in the ACC title game.

Lamenting a loss in its biggest regular-season game of the season.

The committee sent that message Tuesday, dropping Miami six spots and behind two two-loss teams. It recognizes Miami is one of two teams having lost their lone game against a team ranked at kickoff. The other, 8-1 Indiana, is two spots lower.

And it certainly is taking note of the conference in which Miami plays. The ACC has two teams in the current top 25, compared to the SEC's nine and six each from the Big Ten and Big 12.

ACC member Wake Forest has risen to No. 13 since its loss to Miami. If you do not think Wake's game at SMU this week will impact Miami's ranking (provided UM is not upset by Duke), consider Indiana. The Hoosiers just dropped five spots coming off the bye, mostly because while sitting at home Saturday the five toughest opponents they have played this season all lost.

Hunter Yurachek, the CFP committee chair, danced around the Miami dilemma. Yurachek acknowledged the loss of standout receiver Malachi Toney. But he was unclear whether it was a factor, hinting the committee credited Miami for adjusting so quickly after losing Toney midweek while adding they've had one game to evaluate UM without Toney and are using that metric, which is a loss.

"We still have a lot of respect for Miami," Yurachek said. "They have a lot of talent. Their offense seemed to find their way. They hit the tight end I think for nine receptions in that game, had another receiver that caught seven. A lot of talent on that team with or without Malachi Toney."

In the end, it came down to the schedule. Miami had their one chance all season for a signature win and was forced to dig out from a 24-3 hole, and could not finish regardless of what Cristobal said Saturday or truly believed Monday.

And every team ahead of Miami, with the exception of unbeaten UCLA, had what could be considered a signature win the same day.

"You had that combination of Miami losing as the No. 1 team, then some five teams behind them having some really signature wins," Yurachek said. "The committee thought that moving those teams ahead of Miami was the right thing to do in this ranking."

Tennessee could argue it should be ahead of Miami in poll

And it could be argued No. 8 Tennessee deserves to be ahead of Miami considering the Vols' losses are to then No. 1 Texas, now sixth; and South Carolina, which has entered the rankings and is 17th, by a combined six points. The Vols also were coming off a win against then No. 6 Kentucky.

There appears to be a gap between No. 6 Texas and Miami, with the Hurricanes leading a group of four teams including Tennessee, Indiana and BYU. Perhaps the committee sees Miami's recent escapes against Florida State in overtime and North Carolina by three points (both with Toney), coupled with the loss at Notre Dame, hinting at a trend.

Still, it is enough to be among the playoff qualifiers, which is where the Hurricanes must be Dec. 6. And that remains in their control.

Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Hurricanes face reality after Notre Dame loss | D'Angelo

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