The hot debate in recent weeks is who deserves to be in the College Football Playoffs more, No. 10 Notre Dame or No. 12 Miami? Both teams have legitimate arguments, but when it comes down to it, the selection committee has a clear answer as to who should be in and who should be out.
Miami fans will point to the Week 1 matchup between the then-No. 6 Fighting Irish and No. 10 Miami. It was a thriller, with Miami coming up with a 27-24 victory at Hard Rock Stadium. It was a statement victory for the Canes and their first time beating a top-10 ranked opponent in almost ten years.
It was a hard-fought football game that showed two teams that could end up being two of the best in the nation, with the game coming down to the wire and being won on a 47-yard field goal by Carter Davis with 1:04 left to give Miami the go-ahead lead. It was a defining win for Miami, but the problem is the head-to-head component doesn’t outweigh everything else.
Miami's losses
Early in the season, Miami looked like one of the best teams in the nation, winning their first five games and climbing their way up to No. 2 in the nation. Then, the Canes fell to an unranked Louisville Cardinals 24-21. Quarterback Carson Beck threw four interceptions, including a late interception with 33 seconds left on the clock, to give the Cardinals the win. Miami was the superior team heading into the game, but ultimately the Canes self-destructed and suffered their first loss of the season to an unranked opponent.
The other blemish for then-ranked No. 10 Miami came in a 26-20 overtime collapse against unranked SMU, who was 5-3 at the time. Beck threw two interceptions, and Miami committed 12 penalties, which proved costly in the loss. The Miami defense, which had been so dominant throughout the year, allowed 365 yards in the air.
It ended with a Carson Beck interception on 3rd and 6 from the seven-yard line that ultimately would do the Hurricanes in. SMU fans would rush the field, and Miami's Playoff hopes would take a massive hit.
The Canes closed out the season on a six-game win streak, but losses to two unranked opponents are what the committee will be taking into account.
Notre Dame losses
The Fighting Irish's blemishes come against two ranked teams. Notre Dame began their season with back-to-back losses against No. 10 Miami on the road and then at home to No. 16 Texas A&M in a 41-40 shootout, with the game-winning score coming with 13 seconds remaining—a heartbreaking loss. Since the first two games of the season, the Fighting Irish have rattled off 10 straight wins, all by double digits, and zero losses to unranked teams. Notre Dame has been nothing but consistent and dominant since Week 2.
Both teams in a head-to-head comparison
Miami brought in Carson Beck to replace Heisman Trophy runner-up and NFL No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward, and Beck has done a solid job. The Canes average 33.7 points per game, and freshman Malachi Toney finished the season with 84 receptions and 970 receiving yards, breaking Ahmmon Richards' record 49 receptions and 934 in 2016.
The defense has been elite, to say the least, allowing 13.8 points per game, which is seventh best in the nation. Ruben Bain Jr. Has been one of the best defensive linemen in the nation and is a semifinalist for The Rotary Lombardi Award, Lott Impact Trophy, and Bednarik Award. Miami is an elite team, and there is no arguing that.
Notre Dame is sixth in the nation in scoring, averaging 41.2 points per game. The Irish are led by running back and Heisman Trophy hopeful Jeremiyah Love, who has rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns on the season. Love had at least one rushing touchdown in all but one game this season; that lone game he did not score came against Miami.
The Irish’s defense has been just as ruthless as Miami’s, allowing only 17.36 points per game, which is 13th best in the nation. Notre Dame is led by Leonard Moore, who has five interceptions on the season and is a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given out to the best defensive back. He is also up for the Nagurski Trophy for the top defensive player in the nation. Boubacar Traore has been one of the best defensive linemen in the country this season after coming back from an ACL tear his freshman season. He has been a menace for opposing teams, finishing the regular season with 7.5 sacks to lead the Irish.
Strength of schedule
What the deciding factor might come down to is the schedule. While Miami plays in the ACC and there are some very good teams, their only win against a ranked team came in Week 1 when they defeated No. 6 Notre Dame. After that, they did not beat any ranked teams and lost to two unranked teams. Whereas both losses for Notre Dame came to teams ranked in the top 25. Notre Dame also beat rival and No. 20 ranked USC 34-24. When it comes to common opponents, both Notre Dame and Miami had wins over Pitt, NC State, Stanford, and Syracuse.
Why the Irish have a stronger CFP case
The biggest difference between the two is the quality of losses. Yes, Miami beat Notre Dame, but losses to unranked Louisville and SMU did the Canes in. Notre Dame went out and beat all the unranked teams that they faced, and a 20th-ranked USC team. Notre Dame has closed out the season on a ten-game win streak and as one of the best teams in the nation. Notre Dame deserves to be in the College Football Playoffs, and Miami needs a miracle to get in.
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