College football Playoff Debate Intensifies as Committee Rankings Loom

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The College Football Playoff committee faces a critical decision this week as it prepares to release its penultimate rankings, with the debate between Notre Dame and Miami perhaps reaching a head.Both teams finished strong, but a head-to-head victory for the Hurricanes over the Fighting Irish on Labor Day weekend could prove decisive, according to Miami coach Mario Cristobal.”The best part of football is you get to settle it on the field,where head-to-head is always the No. 1 criteria,” Cristobal told ESPN after Miami’s win over Pitt.

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman countered, asserting his team’s strength relative to the field: “It’s hard for me to believe that there are 12 better teams than Notre Dame as we consider who should be in the Playoff.”

A comparative analysis of common opponents reveals a compelling contrast. Notre Dame and Miami both faced NC State, Syracuse, Stanford, and pitt. The Irish outscored these opponents by a combined 192-49, highlighted by a dominant 70-7 victory over Syracuse. Miami’s combined score against the same four teams was 160-31.

As of Sunday morning,projections by The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel indicate Notre Dame has a 95 percent chance of making the Playoff,while Miami’s chances are estimated at just 1 percent. The committee’s rankings, released Tuesday, may effectively settle the debate as neither team has a game remaining.

ACC Championship Game Presents Unexpected Matchup

The ACC Championship Game will feature an unexpected rematch between No. 18 virginia (10-2) and Duke (7-5). Cal’s upset victory over SMU dashed the Mustangs’ championship hopes and set up the second meeting between the Cavaliers and blue Devils, whom Virginia defeated 34-17 earlier this season. Duke secured its spot despite a 0-2 record against the top six teams in the ACC standings, benefiting from conference tiebreaker rules based on opponents’ winning percentages.

Group of 5 Teams Could Make History

Duke’s unlikely championship appearance opens a potential path for James Madison (11-1) to become the committee’s fifth-highest-ranked conference champion, should they win the Sun Belt Championship against Troy. this scenario would result in two Group of 5 teams reaching the Playoff, alongside the winner of the American Championship Game between Tulane (10-2) and North Texas (11-1). Mandel’s projections currently give JMU a 39 percent chance of making the Playoff,compared to Duke’s 7 percent.