Monday doesn’t feel much like a victory lap after what happened against Notre Dame, but Miami still came out of that game with a few clear answers - and a few fresh headaches.
The biggest one is simple: the Hurricanes can survive without Malachi Toney, but it gets a lot uglier. Miami was right there anyway, and the author of the source piece believes the Canes win if Toney plays.
That’s not the part that stings most, though. What really stood out was how ordinary the ground game looked against a Notre Dame defense that was missing a ton of talent, including its interior defensive line duo.
Miami’s offensive line also had a rough day in pass protection. The Irish won both lines of scrimmage, and there wasn’t much mystery about it.
That’s the part Miami has to fix. The Canes need to get back to running the ball, and that starts with better lanes and better production on the ground, however they manage to create it.
The game also left behind a familiar mess: nobody seems to know what a catch is anymore. Not in college football.
Not in the NFL. Elija Lofton appeared to take another step before the ball came loose, which should have fit the idea of an “act common to the game,” but apparently that didn’t matter.
The frustration only grew because of the play before it, when Daylyn Upshaw had his arm clearly grabbed and couldn’t get up to the ball. The source calls that an obvious pass interference no-call that should have put Miami at first and goal.
Still, there’s no guarantee Miami scores if that flag gets thrown. A tie game would have left Notre Dame with the ball and a chance to answer, and nobody can know how that would have played out.
There’s also a path for Miami to lock up a spot in the final ACC championship game, and it comes down to a very specific Saturday. The Hurricanes need to beat Duke.
Wake Forest has to beat SMU. North Carolina has to beat Louisville.
If all of that happens, Miami would be in position to clinch because only Miami, Wake, and Clemson would have fewer than three ACC losses. Clemson can finish no better than 6-2 in the league, while Miami, even with a win over Duke, would finish 7-2.
Since Miami beat Clemson and Wake, the Hurricanes would clinch.
And yes, this would be the last ACC Championship Game, according to the conference. The 24-team playoff has already been approved, so conference title games are on the way out.
That makes this one matter a little more, not less. Winning a conference title still means something, especially when it’s the final one. It may not compare to a playoff run, but it would still belong in the trophy case.
First, though, Miami has to handle Manny Diaz and Duke. Darian Mensah and Cooper Barkate are coming back to Hard Rock Stadium with the Blue Devils, and the source makes the point plain: Saturday, noon, Hard Rock Stadium. Be there, and be loud.
In Other News...
Miami Still Has An ACC Title Game Path But It Just Got Tougher
Miamis path to Charlotte is still alive, but the margin for error is shrinking fast after the loss to Notre Dame. Sitting at No. 7 in the College Football Playoff rankings, the Hurricanes now have to take care of business against Duke and then watch the rest of the ACC scoreboard closely, because their fate is no longer entirely in their own hands.
The leagues key swing games are scattered across the weekend, with Louisville facing UNC, Clemson taking on Georgia Tech and SMU meeting Wake Forest. For Miami, the stakes are bigger than a conference race, since the ACC Championship game will be the final one before the College Football Playoffs move to a 24-team bracket, making every remaining result feel even more consequential. [Read more 🡒]
Miami's Playoff Path Suddenly Looks More Manageable Than Fans Expected
Miamis playoff picture got a little clearer after a weekend of rankings movement that reshuffled the national conversation. A close loss without a key player sent one team sliding, and with only two ACC teams sitting in the top 25, the conferences path to the playoff suddenly looks less crowded than many fans might have expected. The latest bracket projections also reopened the debate over how the selection committee views different leagues, especially when comparing the ACC to the deeper, more heavily scrutinized conferences.
For Miami, the bigger takeaway is not just where the Hurricanes stand now, but how much future results could swing the entire field around them. The current playoff math leaves room for a few different scenarios, and the matchups that would follow could depend as much on committee perception as on what happens on the field. A couple more wins could make Miamis route look even cleaner, while one bad result could bring the old uncertainty right back. [Read more 🡒]
Miamis CFP Push Just Got Personal Against Duke
Miamis College Football Playoff push takes on a little extra edge this week with Duke coming to town, and the matchup comes loaded with familiar faces on both sidelines and in the lineup. Darian Mensah, who transferred from Duke to Miami after a legal dispute with his former school, is part of the storyline, while receiver Cooper Barkate is poised for a bigger role after another Miami pass catcher was injured.
There is also the matter of Manny Diaz returning to face the program he once led, this time as Dukes coach, which adds another layer to a game already carrying real stakes for the Hurricanes. With Miamis playoff hopes still in play, this is the kind of November meeting that can feel bigger than the standings, especially when the opponent arrives with so many personal connections. [Read more 🡒]