Why Notre Dame is ranked higher than Miami in latest College Football Playoff rankings

The penultimate CFP rankings were released on Tuesday night, and one argument has dominated the rest.

Miami and Notre Dame appear to be battling for the final spot in the College Football Playoff, which is intriguing. Since Miami beat Notre Dame to open the season. However, the Fighting Irish have stayed ahead of the Hurricanes in the rankings over the past month.

Now, both teams have finished their regular seasons, as neither will play during championship weekend. Therefore, there is nothing either team can do to improve their standing with the committee.

So, where each team fell in Tuesday's ranking is crucial in determining how the committee feels about each team. Here's a look at how the committee ranked both teams.

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College Football Playoff rankings 2025

Why Notre Dame is ranked higher than Miami

Ultimately, the committee believes that Miami's losses are worse than Notre Dame's losses, even though the Hurricanes beat the Fighting Irish. Both teams that beat Notre Dame this year are ranked in the top 12, while both teams that beat Miami this season are not ranked in the top 25.

However, CFP chair Hunter Yurachek told the ESPN panel that the order between Notre Dame and Miami is not set. Boise State, who lost to Notre Dame earlier this year, is playing this weekend, and a Broncos win could strengthen the Fighting Irish's schedule.

Hunter Yurachek says idle teams can move up or down, and all teams will be re-ranked following this weekend’s championship games. Pic.twitter.com/unV7G6F7c8

— Grant Speaks (@GrantSpeaks1) December 3, 2025

Additionally, the debate goes beyond just Miami and Notre Dame, as Alabama and Oklahoma are other 10-2 teams currently in the field. Of course, the Crimson Tide play in the SEC Championship this weekend, and they could realistically be a 10-3 team by Sunday morning.

Additionally, if BYU beats Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship, the Cougars could jump Notre Dame as well. Therefore, Notre Dame's position in the rankings is dependent on the results this weekend.

MORE: College football bowl projections

Who did Miami lose to?

Miami's two losses this year came to Louisville and SMU, who were both unranked at the time of the games. Both teams ended the seasons with respectable 8-4 records as each team is set to play in a bowl game later this month.

Here's a look at Miami's full schedule in 2025:

Who did Notre Dame lose to?

Notre Dame lost two-straight games to begin the year, first on the road against Miami then at home vs. Texas A&M. Miami was ranked No. 10 when it beat Notre Dame, and Texas A&M was ranked No. 16, as the two teams combined to produce a 21-3 record in 2025.

However, the Fighting Irish have since won 10-straight games. Here's how Notre Dame did in 2025: