CFP Ranking Logic: Notre Dame vs. Miami

**College Football Playoff Committee Draws Clear Line: Notre Dame Elevated, Miami Snubbed Despite Identical Records**

**Indianapolis, IN – November 1, 2023** – The College Football Playoff (CFP) committee delivered a stark lesson in resume evaluation Tuesday night, unveiling initial rankings that created dramatically different trajectories for two major college football programs with identical 6-2 records: the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Miami Hurricanes. While Notre Dame secured a respectable No. 15 ranking, Miami found itself completely excluded from the top 25, underscoring the committee’s deep dive into “quality losses” versus “frustrating collapses.”

For the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, their two defeats were viewed as unavoidable setbacks against top-tier competition, burnishing their strength of schedule. Their first loss came on September 23rd in a thrilling 17-14 contest against then-No. 1 Ohio State, decided in the game’s final seconds. Two weeks later, on October 7th, they faced another tough road test against then-No. 13 Louisville, falling 33-20.

Crucially, Notre Dame’s wins have also stood out. They delivered a dominant 48-20 thrashing of then-No. 10 USC on October 14th and secured a gritty 21-14 road victory over then-No. 15 Duke on September 30th. These victories against ranked opponents, coupled with their competitive showings against other highly-rated teams, have convinced the committee that the Irish possess the mettle of a major contender. Their path to a New Year’s Six bowl game remains very much alive.

On the other side of the spectrum, the Miami Hurricanes’ 6-2 record was deemed insufficient for inclusion in the initial rankings, primarily due to the nature and opponents of their losses. The most infamous blemish occurred on October 7th against unranked Georgia Tech. Holding a 20-17 lead with seconds ticking away, the Hurricanes inexplicably opted to run a play instead of spiking the ball to set up a game-winning field goal attempt. A fumbled snap ensued, sealing a monumental 23-20 loss and becoming a widely circulated example of a late-game coaching gaffe.

Just weeks later, on October 28th, Miami suffered another deflating road defeat to unranked NC State, a 20-6 loss that further exposed inconsistencies within the program. These two losses against unranked opponents, particularly the catastrophic end to the Georgia Tech game, proved devastating to Miami’s early national standing.

The divergent fates highlight the College Football Playoff committee’s explicit criteria: assessing not just a team’s win-loss record, but critically, *who* they’ve played, *how* they performed against those opponents, and the overall strength of their schedule. “Quality losses” against elite teams, combined with strong victories over ranked foes, are heavily weighted. Conversely, losses to unranked teams – especially those marked by unforced errors – can be insurmountable obstacles for a team with major bowl aspirations.

For Notre Dame, the initial No. 15 ranking provides a clear target and validation for their demanding schedule. For Miami, the omission signals a long and difficult road back into national relevance, with their hopes for a major bowl game severely diminished unless they can deliver a flawless and dominant finish to their season.