The Miami Hurricanes didn’t just win on Saturday - they sent a message. With a dominant performance over Pittsburgh, the ‘Canes closed out their regular season in emphatic fashion, making one final push for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Now, the program is going beyond the field to make its case.
Head coach Mario Cristobal and several players spoke postgame about why they believe Miami belongs in the playoff conversation, despite sitting at No. 12 in last week’s rankings. And on Monday morning, athletic director Dan Radakovich added his voice to the campaign - and he brought receipts.
“The offense has been clicking on all cylinders, and the defense has been at its ferocious best,” Radakovich wrote in an open letter. “In short, if you’re in the eye test business, the ‘Canes have the look of a College Football Playoff team.”
That’s not just talk from a passionate AD. Radakovich knows the Playoff process from the inside - he served on the CFP selection committee from 2014 to 2017 during his tenure at Clemson. He understands how the conversations go, how the data is scrutinized, and how subjective the final decisions can be.
“I know firsthand what a difficult job it is,” Radakovich said. “You spend weeks ranking teams, discussing strengths and weaknesses, parsing through data points and - most importantly - watching games.”
That last part is key: watching games. Because if you’ve been watching Miami lately, you’ve seen a team peaking at the right time.
While the Hurricanes do have two losses on the season, the metrics tell a story that favors their case. Miami is currently sixth in the Sagarin ratings, seventh in ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI), and ninth in Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings.
In all three models, they rank ahead of multiple teams still in the playoff hunt - including some that are either considered locks or just one win away from securing a spot.
“If metrics matter, [Miami] should be in [the playoff],” Radakovich emphasized on social media.
But what’s really fueling the debate is the comparison to Notre Dame. Both teams are 10-2.
Miami beat the Irish head-to-head in the season opener - a marquee win that set the tone for the Hurricanes’ campaign. And yet, heading into the final weekend, Notre Dame was ranked ninth while Miami sat three spots behind, outside the top 10 and outside the playoff bubble.
“I was there - many of you were, too,” Radakovich wrote. “It was an electric night at Hard Rock Stadium when Miami defeated Notre Dame to kickstart this terrific season.
Moments like that are what make college football such a compelling sport. Let’s ensure those moments matter.”
That’s the heart of the Hurricanes’ argument: if head-to-head wins, elite metrics, and strong finishes matter - and they should - then Miami deserves serious consideration.
This isn’t the first time Radakovich has gone to bat for the ‘Canes. Last season, Miami also finished 10-2 but was left out of the postseason after late stumbles against Georgia Tech and Syracuse. Despite the efforts of Radakovich, Cristobal, and even ACC commissioner Jim Phillips to sway the committee, the Hurricanes were left watching from home.
Now, with another 10-win season in the books and a statement win to close things out, Miami is hoping this year’s ending looks different. The numbers are there.
The film is there. The résumé is strong.
And the message from Coral Gables is clear: the Hurricanes believe they belong.