While major head coaches of college football are in the headlines for guiding their teams to the playoffs, Mario Cristobal is there for all the wrong reasons. Well, the Miami Hurricanes had an opportunity to see themselves in the playoffs. The only thing they needed to do was defeat Syracuse. But Mario’s decision in the final quarter has put them in a difficult position. Can they still qualify for the playoffs despite their recent loss?

Well, Brad Crawford, a college football analyst, has some bad news for Miami fans. Miami’s defeat shocked many; Crawford was one of them, and on December 2, he gave his honest take on Miami’s playoff hopes. “Most importantly for Miami, there’s no path to get back in that playoff mix. So Tuesday night, Jordan, if the committee lends the Hurricanes outside the top12. That’s it for Mario Cristobal’s team. And right now, the ACC looks like a one-bid league because unless Clemson beats SMU, SMU is going to the playoffs, and nobody else in that conference is. So Alabama and South Carolina really benefited from Miami losing.” 

Miami entered the season as a strong contender and boosted an impressive record with back-to-back nine victories. But what really went wrong? Cristobal failed to use his star player against Syracuse. Despite having a strong offensive line-up, which is led by Cam Ward, one of the Heisman contenders, their late-season struggles raised significant questions about their playoff hopes.

Hurricanes allowed more than 38 points in three road games, which raises concerns about their ability to compete against high-caliber teams in the playoffs. Now as Miami awaits the committee’s decision, the pressure is on other ACC teams like Clemson and SMU. The outcomes of week 15 will further shape the playoff landscape. Till then, let’s see where the Hurricanes rank in the AP Poll.

Where do the Miami Hurricanes stand after losing to Syracuse?

Who thought Cam Ward would conclude his regular season on a disappointing note? Miami misused a three-touchdown lead in a 42-38 loss to the Syracuse Orange. This late defeat in the season has immediate repercussions on their rankings in the AP Top 25 poll and college football rankings.

After their recent loss, Miami fell six spots to No. 14 in the latest AP poll released on Sunday. Earlier last week, they were standing at No. 8. Similarly, in the College Football Playoff rankings, they were standing at the No. 6 position with high hopes to enter the playoffs, but week 14 has changed a lot of dynamics, but their standings last week will play a crucial role in determining the 12-team playoff field.

Miami started their season at No. 19, but slowly, they improved their standings and reached the No. 6 position after week 6 and successfully maintained it for two weeks. However, their defeat against Georgia Tech dropped their position to No. 12. Now, only the College Football Rankings by committee can give a clear picture of Miami’s standings.

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