3-Loss SEC Team Sees Playoff Silver Lining as Miami Hurricanes’ Downfall Creates Unexpected Void

Well, well, well. Looks like the Miami Hurricanes finally got a taste of what it feels like to play against a team that is not dead, huh? Miami was on a massive run this year. Mario Cristobal and Co. were running through their opponents and somehow managed to get a 9-win undefeated run and a top spot on almost every single poll out there. But boy oh boy did Georgia Tech swoop in to curb stomp Cam Ward‘s ego out and throw Miami right back down in the bin. And if all of that didn’t stop the Hurricanes from breathing down someone’s neck, Syracuse delivered the final blow yesterday. Every year we see a Florida team rank up on a weak ACC schedule and think they are the top dogs of the season. But hey, there is also a good side to all of these shenanigans.

And Bama fans will be very happy about it. Back on CBS Sports, while talking about the latest rankings, Brad Crawford pointed out, “This Miami loss also opens up the door for a three-loss Alabama to get in.” With Miami throwing the game 38-42 against Syracuse, everything goes to Bama now. But let’s get one thing out of the way first; any true Bama fan would agree that losing a game to an unranked team like Vandy and then going on a 3 game-winning spree only to throw themselves off the ledge against a 5 loss Oklahoma team does not point towards a contender who is ready for the playoff.

But with this aspect out of the discussion, Kalen DeBoer and Jalen Milroe going into the playoffs would give them another chance to prove themselves. See, what we all realized after the Sooners loss is the fact that this Tide team sinks and swims with its quarterback.

Now you might say why? Well, DeBoer has access to run-game talents like Ryan Williams. But at the crux of it all you have to keep in mind that Milroe is a better rusher than a passer. In that same Oklahoma game, we all saw the outcome when Nick Sheridan tried to play Milroe off as a passer. 3 interceptions and multiple turnovers and how can we forget that he only landed 11 out of 26 passes that game?

Compare that to the LSU and Mercer game and you got Jalen Milroe bringing in 5 rushing touchdowns with a total of 18 carries and around 300 yards. Now will Bama even manage to crack a playoff win and head to the natty? We don’t know yet cause if they get put on the 12th seed, they will probably go up against Penn State. Still, all of this is wishful thinking because we still don’t know what awaits DeBoer and Co. The committee has yet to put out the final results. However, coming back to the sole thing that started this Bama push; Miami’s downfall.

Hurricanes fell off

Every year the Yellow Jackets come into the season and ruin the day for an unsuspecting ranked team. This time, it was Miami. Not only did that single game prove that Cam Ward and Co. are not good, but it also established the fact that Miami should’ve never been in the top spot. 0 ranked wins? And you think you are the best team out of all the others?

Let’s be real. They almost lost to the Bears by a single point and Virginia Tech by 4 points. And if you thought Georgia Tech didn’t do enough damage, then how can we not talk about the main heroes of the situation? Syracuse.

Not only did these guys climb out of a 21-point deficit, but they also managed to end the game by outscoring Miami by a notable margin. God knows why Cristobal even decided to settle for the field goal at the final play of the game when they clearly had a shot for a touchdown and maybe even a 2 point conversion. Would that change their fate? No. But it would’ve been an honorable end.