CFP Controversy: Miami Jumps Notre Dame in Final Rankings, Galloway Calls Out Committee’s Timing
The College Football Playoff selection committee made waves on Selection Sunday, flipping Miami ahead of Notre Dame for the final at-large spot-despite both teams being idle during conference championship weekend. That decision didn’t sit well with ESPN analyst Joey Galloway, who has spent the last two weeks backing the Irish as the more deserving team.
And he didn’t hold back.
On ESPN’s broadcast, Galloway questioned the optics of the late switch. His main point: if the committee was going to vault Miami over Notre Dame, why wait until the final reveal?
Especially when both teams were off the field this weekend. The committee had already released a full set of rankings earlier in the week.
Nothing changed on the field between Tuesday and Sunday-so why did the rankings?
Galloway’s frustration taps into a larger conversation that’s been brewing for weeks. Notre Dame closed the season on a 10-game winning streak, looking every bit like a team peaking at the right time.
Miami, meanwhile, held the head-to-head edge from their Week 1 matchup, but hadn’t done much since to clearly separate themselves. That’s what made Sunday’s decision so jarring for many observers.
Ultimately, the committee gave Miami the nod at No. 10, slotting them into a first-round matchup against No. 7 Texas A&M. Alabama grabbed the No. 9 seed, while Notre Dame was left as the first team out-an especially bitter pill given their late-season surge.
From Galloway’s perspective, the issue wasn’t just about who got in. It was about when the decision was made.
He argued that the committee’s timing created unnecessary confusion and opened the door for criticism. If head-to-head was going to be the deciding factor, that could’ve-and arguably should’ve-been reflected in the midweek rankings.
Instead, the committee waited until the final moment, when the stakes couldn’t have been higher, to make the switch.
It’s a fair critique. The committee’s job is to evaluate resumes, yes-but also to be transparent and consistent in how those evaluations evolve.
When two teams don’t play, and one leapfrogs the other at the last second, it raises questions. Galloway wasn’t alone in asking them.
Still, the committee leaned on the one clear differentiator: Miami’s win over Notre Dame back in Week 1. And while the process may have felt murky, the decision itself lines up with one of the sport’s oldest truths-head-to-head matters.
For Miami, it’s a historic moment. This marks their first-ever trip to the expanded College Football Playoff. They’ll head to College Station on December 20 to face Texas A&M, with a potential Cotton Bowl showdown against Ohio State on the horizon if they can pull off the upset.
As for Notre Dame, it’s heartbreak. Ten straight wins and a strong finish weren’t enough. And while there’s no playoff path this year, the Irish will undoubtedly have something to prove in their bowl game-and perhaps even more motivation heading into next season.
The debate will rage on, but the bracket is set. The Hurricanes are in, the Irish are out, and the committee’s decision-making process is once again in the spotlight.