The ACC has a team in the College Football Playoff, but it’s not the conference champion. Instead, Miami got the spot after finishing the season 10–2, even though they didn’t win the ACC. This happened because Duke, who was unranked, beat Virginia in the ACC Championship Game. That meant the ACC’s best chance to get a champion into the playoffs was gone.
Because of this, many fans wonder if Miami got into the playoffs mainly because the committee didn’t want to leave the ACC out completely. Miami wasn’t perfect, but the committee probably felt pressure to include at least one team from a big conference like the ACC. Leaving out the whole ACC would have caused a lot of complaints, especially with the new 12-team playoff system. So, Miami became the easiest choice.
The Big Debate Between Miami and Notre Dame
Most of the season, the big question was who deserved the last playoff spot: Miami or Notre Dame? For a while, Notre Dame was ranked higher and many experts thought they would get the spot.
But Miami had one big advantage, Miami beat Notre Dame 27–24 in their season opener. That head-to-head win made a big difference. ESPN analyst Greg McElroy said on his podcast that picking Notre Dame over Miami would send the wrong message. He said ignoring that game would mean teams might think early season games don’t matter. For him, what happens on the field should count the most.
Even though Notre Dame argued they played better at the end of the season, the committee didn’t agree. Miami finished 10th in the final rankings, just ahead of Notre Dame at 11th. Miami also ended the season strong with four straight wins and outscored opponents by a big margin.
Notre Dame’s Story Didn’t Hold Up
Notre Dame claimed they had one of the best finishes in college football history, but that wasn’t really true. Most of their last 10 games were against teams with losing records. They also had a losing record against ranked teams, and only beat one ranked team all year.
Miami’s two losses came against good teams, Louisville and SMU who were both unranked. So, Miami’s placement over Notre Dame could still raise questions since their losses were mid season versus Notre Dames loss to Miami.
Why Did Miami Really Get Into the Playoff?
Yes, Miami deserved credit for beating Notre Dame. Yes, the head-to-head game mattered. But the ACC didn’t have a champion good enough for the playoff. Without Miami, the ACC would have no team in the playoffs at all. The committee has always tried to make sure every big conference gets at least one spot.
Miami’s win over Notre Dame gave the committee a good reason to pick them and avoid more controversy. In the end, Miami got in not just because of their record but also because the committee didn’t want to leave the ACC out.
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