Miami Sneaks Into College Football Playoff With Final At-Large Bid

Hurricanes beat out Irish for final spot in 12-team field

Miami finally crashed the College Football Playoff field Sunday, launching the Hurricanes onto college football’s biggest stage.

The committee slotted Miami at No. 10 in the 12-team bracket, matching the Hurricanes with No. 7 Texas A&M in a first-round game Dec. 20 at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. The winner advances to face No. 2 Ohio State in the quarterfinals, but for Mario Cristobal’s program, simply hearing “Miami” in that CFP reveal delivered a breakthrough moment years in the making.

The bracket sparked controversy nationwide, mostly because Miami and Alabama claimed the last two at-large spots while Notre Dame landed just outside the field. Miami, though, carried a head-to-head win over the Irish along with a stronger closing stretch, and that combination convinced the committee. Indiana claimed the No. 1 overall seed, followed by Ohio State, Georgia and Texas Tech.

Miami reached selection Sunday with a 10-2 record and on a four-game winning streak that turned into a statement campaign. The Hurricanes knocked off Notre Dame on opening weekend, dominated rival Florida, and closed ACC play with blowout wins over Syracuse, NC State, Virginia Tech and Pitt. The surge pushed Miami to 10th in the final Associated Press poll and 10th in the College Football Playoff rankings, enough for an at-large bid.

For Cristobal, Year 4 delivered the vision he sold from the moment he took over his alma mater. Miami now plays with an edge on both lines, gives quarterback Carson Beck protection and balance, and unleashes a deep rotation on defense. Freshman star Malachi Toney turned the passing game into a weekly fireworks show, while edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. led a front that harassed quarterbacks all fall.

The Hurricanes finished 6-2 in ACC play and fell short of the ACC Championship Game, yet that stumble never erased the big-picture progress. A 100th season of Miami football now carries a chance for an unforgettable finish, and the program again stands on the national stage after years of wandering through mediocrity and coaching turnover.

Attention now turns toward College Station, where a raucous Kyle Field crowd awaits. Texas A&M enters with an 11-1 record and similar dreams of a deep run. Win there, and the path runs through Ohio State, then potentially Indiana, Georgia or Texas Tech. For the first time in the College Football Playoff era, Miami has a seat at the table.