Miami’s first loss of the season didn’t just end an unbeaten run - it sent the College Football Playoff picture into another spin.
The Hurricanes dropped their showdown with No. 11 Notre Dame, and while the result stings, there was still plenty in the game to point to.
Miami had chances to seize control of an electric night, even without Malachi Toney, but couldn’t finish the job. Whether you want to focus on the no-catch touchdown or Miami’s quiet first quarter, the bottom line is the same: the Canes came up short.
That loss changes the conversation around Miami’s place in the rankings. After opening the first set of playoff rankings as the No. 1 team in the country, the Hurricanes are headed in the other direction now, with Notre Dame set to rise and Miami to slide.
How far? That’s where the chaos around the country comes in.
No. 3 Utah survived No.
9 BYU in the Holy War. No.
2 Georgia looked every bit like the best team in the country while rolling No. 10 Ole Miss at home.
No. 5 Alabama went on the road and crushed No.
14 LSU. No.
6 Kentucky fell to No. 13 Tennessee.
No. 7 Texas also picked up a road win over No.
18 Missouri. And alongside Utah, the only other undefeated teams left are UCLA and Indiana, with Indiana on a bye.
That leaves Miami in a tricky spot. The safest range has the Hurricanes at No. 6 through No. 8, and at the absolute worst, they could land at No. 8 in the country.
But based on how the first rankings were handled, it wouldn’t be a shock if Miami tumbles outside the top 10. Another wild week could be coming.
For now, the focus shifts to Duke, which could turn into a ranked matchup once the new rankings are released. After the loss, Mario Cristobal made it clear the response has to come quickly.
"All, with myself and also acknowledge what we always say just because we're pissed off doesn't mean we're gonna come out next week and play good football," Cristobal said after the Notre Dame loss. "We play against an excellent team we're playing great football last several weeks. and now we're back in a conference play, right?
"So we're in playoff football, the bottom line, the entire conference is going to believe. There eight teams are alive for a spot.
And every single week matters, and everybody's banged up, and we got to get our best from everybody. We played all our games on the road tonight.
I think we're the only team in the country to do that, so we got to get back, we got to get to work right away because this game on Saturday's at noon."
Wake Forest is another team worth watching as the rankings shake out. It put up 77 against Merrimack with a backup quarterback, and that only adds to the noise in an ACC race that just got a lot more interesting. The regular season finish is lining up to be a good one.
In Other News...
Miami Loss At Notre Dame Exposed A Problem That Could Linger
Miamis 31-24 loss at Notre Dame did more than hand the Hurricanes a frustrating road defeat. It also put a spotlight on how much the offense can change when Malachi Toney is unavailable, as Miami labored through a quiet first half without one of its key wideouts and had to spend the rest of the night playing from behind.
Darian Mensah still gave Miami a chance, finishing 24 of 43 for 304 yards and three touchdowns, but his first interception of the season came at an untimely moment in a game that already felt tilted. The Hurricanes made a late push, yet Notre Dames second-half lead held up, and the bigger concern now is whether Miami can keep enough firepower in place if Toney ends up missing the rest of the year. [Read more 🡒]
Miamis First Loss Exposed A Problem They Couldnt Overcome
Miamis first loss of the season came with a familiar kind of frustration, the sort that lingers because it felt avoidable for long stretches. Notre Dame outlasted the Hurricanes 31-24 at Notre Dame Stadium, and the game turned on the kinds of moments Miami could not quite control, from C.J. Carrs efficient day at quarterback to a critical interception by Luke Talich that helped swing the flow back toward the Irish.
For Miami, the offensive issues were there early, especially with injured star Malachi Toney unavailable, and the Hurricanes never fully found the rhythm they needed to keep pace. Darian Mensah did throw a touchdown pass, but Miamis defense had trouble getting enough heat on Carr, who finished with 319 yards and three scores, leaving the Hurricanes with a loss that exposed a problem they could not overcome. [Read more 🡒]
Mario Cristobal Sounds Off After Miamis Most Infuriating Moment At Notre Dame
Mario Cristobal did not hide his frustration after Miamis trip to Notre Dame ended in a 31-24 loss, with the biggest flashpoint coming on Elija Loftons apparent game-tying touchdown catch that was ruled incomplete. The call went to review and was upheld, leaving the Hurricanes to absorb a defeat that felt even more painful because of how close they were to changing the outcome late.
Cristobal made clear in his postgame comments that he was unhappy with the officiating, even as he congratulated Notre Dame on the win. For Miami, the moment will linger because it came at the center of a game that already carried plenty of weight, and because the final ruling left the Hurricanes with more questions than answers about what might have been. [Read more 🡒]