Joel Klatt questions Miami's spot in College Football Playoff rankings

Miami is the No. 8 team in the country, according to the College Football Playoff Top 25 rankings after Week 12.

The Hurricanes spent Week 12 on a bye after dropping its first game of the season against unranked Georgia Tech on Nov. 9. Despite being 9-1 heading into the final two-week stretch of the regular season, Miami won’t have a win over a ranked opponent heading into conference championship week.

Because of this, Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt expressed his confusion with the committee’s decision to rank the Hurricanes above a trio of teams from the SEC. Especially when their body of work, on paper, is more impressive than Miami’s.

“In what world is Miami better than Ole Miss and Georgia? And even Tennessee to that extent? I just don’t agree,” Klatt said. “I just do not agree. This team (Miami) has been living on the edge. They’ve got a great quarterback and an offense that has to go outscore [the defense], and that’s it. Their defense — not solid.

“They lost to Georgia Tech, they probably should have lost to Cal and probably should have lost to Virginia Tech. And they’re sitting there and you’re telling me that they’re better than Ole Miss — who has beaten Georgia. They’re better than Georgia, who’s beaten Texas and Tennessee. Like, come on.”

That isn’t to say Klatt is anti-Miami. The Hurricanes can’t help that no team they played had a ranking next to its name. Louisville was ranked the week before Miami came to town after losing to SMU. Florida State’s disappointing season was not expected, which made that victory less impressive in the committee’s eyes.

Still, they’ve been able to take care of business despite its woes on defense. Miami’s offense, led by Cam Ward, is one of the most potent in the country and has been able to outscore any defensive mishaps for the most part this season.

“I’m not trying to take off on Miami,” Klatt continued. “I like Miami. I think that the playoff would be great with Miami in it, and Miami is going to have the opportunity to play itself into this space, but having them at No. 8 over Ole Miss and Georgia, I’m like, ‘Wait, are you trolling Kirby?’ Because maybe the committee has had enough of comments like this after Georgia won last weekend over Tennessee.”

Whether you agree with Klatt’s sentiment, there’s no denying that Miami’s offense is one of the best in the country. The College Football Playoff selection committee has historically praised highly-touted offenses, which may have played into the ultimate decision to slot them at eighth overall.