The ACC’s tiebreaker system is officially under the microscope, and Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich isn’t holding back. After the Hurricanes finished in a five-way tie for second place in the conference with a 6-2 record, only to be left out of the ACC Championship Game, Radakovich is calling for change - and he’s not alone in thinking the current setup is too convoluted.
The Tiebreaker That Broke the Canes
Let’s start with the facts: Miami, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, SMU, and Duke all ended the regular season at 6-2 in conference play. But it was Duke, with a 7-5 overall record, who punched their ticket to the title game - thanks to the fifth tiebreaker: conference opponent win percentage.
Yes, you read that right. Not head-to-head.
Not common opponents. It came down to a fifth-layer rule that few fans - or even insiders - could recite off the top of their heads.
That’s what Radakovich wants to fix.
“We’ve got to get a little better at that,” he said. “It’s too complicated.”
He’s not wrong. When five teams are tied and the deciding factor is a metric buried deep in the rulebook, it’s fair to ask whether the system is really identifying the conference’s best representatives.
Miami’s Resume Was Strong - Just Not Strong Enough
The Hurricanes didn’t do themselves any favors when they dropped a 26-20 overtime game at SMU - a game they played without six starters, according to head coach Mario Cristobal. But they bounced back with authority, hammering Pittsburgh 38-7 in their season finale.
And here’s the kicker: Miami had the best point differential in ACC play, outscoring opponents 262-120. That’s a +142 margin - a number that screams dominance. For comparison, Virginia, the team that topped the ACC standings at 7-1, posted a +80 differential (242-162).
So while the Hurricanes didn’t control their own destiny, they made a strong case for being the best team in the league - and certainly one of the most dangerous.
A System That Wasn’t Built for This
Radakovich, who served on the College Football Playoff committee for four years, knows how crucial every game - and every decision - can be. In a letter shared by CBS Miami’s Mike Cugno, Radakovich pointed out that Miami beat one of the two-loss teams under consideration (Notre Dame) and emphasized the need to “ensure those moments matter.”
That’s the heart of the issue. The current ACC tiebreaker system, adopted after the league scrapped divisions in 2023, wasn’t designed for this level of parity. It starts with winning percentage, then moves through head-to-head sweep, common games, and “Nth place common opponent” before finally landing on opponent win percentage - the rule that ultimately decided Miami’s fate.
Radakovich summed it up: “The old system probably didn’t contemplate four or five teams being tied for a second-place spot.”
How the Rest of the Country Handles It
The ACC isn’t alone in dealing with the chaos of multi-team ties. The SEC had its own four-way logjam in 2025, with Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M all finishing 7-1 in conference play.
Their tiebreakers? Head-to-head, record versus common opponents, and - if needed - a coin flip.
Other leagues are experimenting too. The Mountain West used advanced metrics to sort out a four-way tie. The American Athletic Conference leans on the latest CFP rankings when head-to-head isn’t a factor.
In other words, there’s no perfect formula - but there are options.
A Pattern Emerging in Coral Gables
This isn’t the first time Miami’s been on the wrong side of the tiebreaker. In 2024, the Hurricanes also finished 6-2 in ACC play, but SMU (8-0) and Clemson (7-1) got the nod.
That year, it was more straightforward - Miami simply didn’t win enough. But in 2025, they were in the thick of it, and a fifth-level tiebreaker kept them out.
That’s why Radakovich is expected to raise the issue at the ACC Winter Meetings in February. He’s not just lobbying for Miami - he’s pushing for a system that rewards what happens on the field, not in the fine print.
What’s Next for the ACC?
As conferences expand and schedules become more unbalanced, multi-team ties like this are going to become more common. The ACC, like the rest of the Power Four, needs a tiebreaker system that’s not just fair, but also transparent and easy to understand.
For now, Miami will watch the ACC Championship from the outside looking in - again. But the conversation they’ve sparked could reshape how the league handles these logjams moving forward.
Because if games matter - and they should - then so should the way we decide who plays for a title.