The College Football Playoff selection committee, led by chairman Warde Manuel, made a surprising decision to eliminate the Miami Hurricanes from CFP contention in the penultimate rankings. Despite previous statements emphasizing performance against opponents and not just strength of schedule, the committee recognized Miami’s poor strength of schedule and lack of ranked wins. This decision ultimately allowed three-loss Alabama to secure the last at-large bid over Miami, based on their slightly better performance in the last few games. The committee’s emphasis on quality wins over “good losses” also favored teams like Ole Miss and South Carolina, who played and beat better opponents than Miami. Although Miami boasted a strong offense led by quarterback Cam Ward, their defensive struggles and lack of significant wins ultimately led to their exclusion from the playoff conversation. Ole Miss and South Carolina, with their stronger performances and victories against top teams, made compelling cases for inclusion over Miami and even Alabama. The close competition highlights the importance of wins over losses and current quality of play in the committee’s decision-making process. The debate surrounding the selection process is likely to continue as fans and analysts dissect the committee’s choices leading up to the final rankings.
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Miami is Out, So Did Ole Miss Deserve the CFP Ranking Over Alabama?
