Joel Klatt questions Miami’s spot in College Football Playoff Rankings

Joel Klatt isn’t buying Miami at No. 9 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, which were revealed Tuesday evening. The Hurricanes suffered their first loss of the season in Week 11 against Georgia Tech, causing them to fall five spots as a result.

That seems fair especially when considered there are still several one-loss teams ahead of Miami. However, Klatt pointed to a trip of two-loss teams ranked right below them that he believes are better.

“I was pretty surprised that Miami was ahead of (Alabama), Ole Miss and Georgia. I would not have done that and the committee did. That Miami team has been perilously close to a loss for a few weeks now against some average teams and they finally take that loss. So now, Miami’s resume is a 9-1 team. Their best wins are against Louisville and Duke. Their strength of schedule is 39th and they’re 1-0 against the top 25. So it’s not bad. I just don’t love where they’re at if they were to lose again.

“If they lose in the regular season, there’s a good chance that they don’t get to the ACC Championship game. Clemson might get into that spot because remember, Clemson’s last ACC game is actually this weekend against Pitt. So if they win then Miami cannot stub their toe or else Clemson would go to the ACC Championship. So (Miami) can’t lose in the regular season and then even if they were to lose in the ACC Championship game, I don’t love their argument in that case as an 11-2 over some of those SEC teams. In particular a Georgia with the schedule that they’ve played.”

If SMU holds on to first place and Miami and Clemson were both to win their remaining games, they would finish tied for second place in the conference. That would force a tiebreaker scenario that would compare the records of the Hurricanes and Tigers against common opponents.

Ultimately, Klatt’s point is that Miami cannot afford another loss if it hopes to get into the College Football Playoff. Because if it comes down to comparing their resume to that of any of these SEC teams, the strength of schedule for the latter is likely to be the deciding factor.

“Miami is kind of in a situation where their backs are against the wall,” Klatt continued. “I believe that Miami’s gonna have to win out in order to go to the playoff. A loss at any moment is going to prevent them from being in this College Football Playoff. A loss in the regular season keeps them out of the ACC Championship game and a loss in the ACC Championship game elevates probably SMU into the playoff.

“Now they’re gonna have to win an argument against a 10-2 SEC team and I don’t think that they win that argument. I just really don’t. Not with the schedule they played and not with some of the games that they’ve won in really close fashion against, let’s call them not great teams. Cal comes to mind, Virginia Tech comes to mind. That’s why I was surprised they are ahead of those SEC teams.”

The Hurricanes have a bye this week before facing Wake Forest on Nov. 23.