Happy Monday, y’all. I was wrong about the Miami Hurricanes on Saturday, and that’s a good thing. I was skeptical today would be a victory Monday, but boy how was it. That was the Canes’ best performance
of the season, and with the College Football Playoff committee not giving Miami their full credit, that’s important.
But, speaking of the playoff committee and the CFP prospects for Miami…………
1) It was a very different weekend for Miami on Saturday in the help department, and that’s not a good thing.
The Hurricanes got a good bit of help back on November 8, and that helped Miami jump up from that ridiculously stupid 18 initial ranking up to 15 last week. Still too low, but progress.
And man, I was optimistic after Clemson knocked Louisville out of the picture on Friday in a game no one seemed to want to win.
Well, things didn’t go Miami’s way on Saturday, to put it mildly. I was sitting there watching the games all day (when I wasn’t at Neyland Stadium), and when I first got to the bar a little after noon, I saw it was Notre Dame 14, Pittsburgh 0 in no time flat. I kind of shrugged said, oh well, that’s just the first of many chances.
But things went to shit for pretty much the entire rest of the day, and that included the ACC. It would have been better if Duke beat Virginia (I believe), as the Wahoos have just one ACC game left while Duke has two road ACC games remaining. UVa blew their doors off. Surely BC wouldn’t beat Georgia Tech, right? The Eagles led 28-17 in the fourth quarter and regained 34-33 lead late after falling behind. But Tech put together a death march and killed a field goal with almost no time left. Just brutal.
And on the at large front, Okladamnedhoma rose up and beat Bama in a game I thought there was no way they’d win. But they found a way, so now BOTH teams are in most folks’ projected fields. I guess now there’s a chance of both OU (vs. Mizzou; vs. LSU) and Bama (at Auburn) losing a game, so there’s more options for one to pick up loss #3, but don’t hold your breath in those matchups. And BYU blew the doors off TCU (who normally beats up on the Cougars) while Utah crushed Baylor, so those two teams will probably stay ahead of Miami. Texas lost handily to Georgia, but that was one blip on a radar that otherwise contained disappointing results.
And there was one last shot at some help from Florida had they knocked off Ole Miss, who they led for much of the game. But the Gators crapped out on their final drive, of course, and Ole Miss improved to 10-1. I don’t expect them to lose at Mississippi State to end the season, but for you cockeyed optimists, I guess keep on dreaming.
Oh, and USF lost and is out of the American title game and playoff picture, so that was also a gut shot for Miami’s resume. Sweet.
2) So, after all that crap, it means perhaps Miami’s best playoff shot comes down to Saturday’s game between Pitt and Georgia Tech.
If Tech wins, adios ACC title game chances. I can’t come up with a scenario where they’re in under those circumstances (and Cam’s previously stated list of paths for Miami doesn’t include a Georgia Tech win, so I guess my math checks out). If Pitt wins, then Miami will need more help, but it’s plausible help that could occur if the Canes can take care of their own business. In short, Pitt is Miami’s best friend this weekend before becoming their mortal enemy the following day. Sports are funny sometimes.
3) At least I’m seeing Miami play some good football nowadays, and that should mean SOMETHING TO THE COMMITTEE SINCE THEY SAID THEY NEEDED TO SEE MIAMI PLAY BETTER.
It should mean Miami gets that benefit of the doubt over Notre Dame since the playoff committee separated the two teams initially because of how the Canes were playing. And if head-to-head matters (it does) and when a team loses doesn’t matter (not among stated criteria), then Miami really should be getting the benefit of the doubt over the Irish if both finish at 10-2.
But we all know they won’t.
So much we can’t control. I guess just go kick ass and finish 10-2 for back-to-back 10-win seasons. Those haven’t been anything to sneeze at around here for 20+ years.
Go Canes!
