The second-to-last College Football Playoff rankings of the season dropped Tuesday night, and the biggest debate heading into championship weekend is all about two familiar names: Miami and Notre Dame. Both teams are 10-2, both are sitting out the upcoming conference title games, and both are hoping they’ve done enough to sneak into that final Playoff spot. But here’s the twist - Miami beat Notre Dame to open the season, yet the Fighting Irish are still ranked ahead of the Hurricanes.
That’s where things get interesting.
Where Things Stand in the Rankings
Here’s how the CFP committee lined things up heading into the weekend:
Top 12 CFP Rankings (Relevant to the Debate): 1.
Ohio State (12-0)
2.
Indiana (12-0)
3.
Georgia (11-1)
4.
Texas Tech (11-1)
5.
Oregon (11-1)
6.
Ole Miss (11-1)
7.
Texas A&M (11-1)
8.
Oklahoma (10-2)
9.
Alabama (10-2)
10.
Notre Dame (10-2)
11.
BYU (11-1)
12.
Miami (10-2)
Both Notre Dame and Miami are locked into their current resumes - no more games, no more chances to impress. So the committee’s placement of Notre Dame at No. 10 and Miami at No. 12 is telling. It’s a snapshot of how the committee currently views both programs, and with no more data points coming from either team, that positioning could very well decide who gets in.
Why Notre Dame Is Ahead - For Now
So how does a team that lost to Miami still sit two spots ahead of them? According to CFP chair Hunter Yurachek, it comes down to strength of losses.
Notre Dame’s two defeats came early in the season - a close road loss to Miami and a one-point heartbreaker at home to Texas A&M. Both of those teams are inside the top 12.
Miami’s two losses? A tight one at home to Louisville and an overtime road loss at SMU - neither of which are currently ranked in the Top 25.
That’s a big deal to the committee. Quality of competition matters, and Notre Dame’s losses came against teams the committee already respects.
But Yurachek also made it clear: nothing is set in stone. The rankings will be reshuffled after championship weekend, and even idle teams like Notre Dame and Miami can move up or down depending on how things shake out elsewhere.
The Bigger Picture: More Than Just Miami vs. Notre Dame
This isn’t just a two-team race. Alabama and Oklahoma are also sitting at 10-2, and both are ahead of Miami in the rankings. Alabama has a shot to shake things up in the SEC Championship - but a loss there would drop them to 10-3, potentially opening the door for teams below them.
Then there’s BYU, currently at No. 11 with an 11-1 record. The Cougars face Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship - and if they pull off the upset, they could leapfrog both Notre Dame and Miami. That scenario would throw a wrench into the whole conversation.
Miami’s Resume: A Solid Season with Some Blemishes
Let’s not forget how strong Miami’s season was. The Hurricanes opened the year by edging out Notre Dame in a 27-24 thriller, then rolled through a tough schedule with wins over Florida, Florida State, and NC State. Their only setbacks came in midseason - a three-point loss to Louisville and an overtime defeat at SMU.
Here’s a full look at Miami’s 2025 campaign:
- W vs. Notre Dame (27-24)
- W vs. Bethune-Cookman (45-3)
- W vs. South Florida (49-12)
- W vs. Florida (26-7)
- W @ Florida State (28-22)
- L vs.
Louisville (24-21)
- W vs.
Stanford (42-7)
- L @ SMU (26-20 OT)
- W vs. Syracuse (38-10)
- W vs. NC State (41-7)
- W @ Virginia Tech (34-17)
- W @ Pittsburgh (38-7)
It’s a strong body of work - especially with that head-to-head win over Notre Dame. But the committee is weighing the full picture, and those two losses to unranked teams are dragging down the Hurricanes’ case.
Notre Dame’s Case: Early Setbacks, Strong Finish
Notre Dame’s story is almost the inverse of Miami’s. They stumbled out of the gate with back-to-back losses - first to Miami, then in a shootout against Texas A&M.
But since then? Ten straight wins, and most of them weren’t close.
The Irish have been dominant down the stretch, including blowouts over Boise State, USC, and Syracuse.
Here’s the rundown of Notre Dame’s 2025 season:
- L @ Miami (27-24)
- L vs.
Texas A&M (41-40)
- W vs.
Purdue (56-30)
- W @ Arkansas (56-13)
- W vs. Boise State (28-7)
- W vs. NC State (36-7)
- W vs. USC (34-24)
- W @ Boston College (25-10)
- W vs.
Navy (49-10)
- W @ Pittsburgh (37-15)
- W vs. Syracuse (70-7)
- W @ Stanford (49-20)
That’s a resume built on consistency and momentum. And while the head-to-head loss to Miami is still a factor, the committee is clearly valuing Notre Dame’s overall strength of schedule and their ability to bounce back after a rough start.
What to Watch This Weekend
While Miami and Notre Dame are done playing, their fates are far from sealed. Here’s what could shake up the rankings:
- Alabama: A loss in the SEC Championship would make the Crimson Tide a 10-3 team, possibly dropping them below both Miami and Notre Dame.
- BYU: A win over Texas Tech could catapult the Cougars into the top 10 and push one of the idle teams out.
- Boise State: If the Broncos win this weekend, it could retroactively boost Notre Dame’s resume - they beat Boise earlier this year.
The committee has made it clear: nothing is locked in. Every game this weekend matters, even to the teams that aren't playing.
Final Thought
Miami vs. Notre Dame is the kind of debate that makes the College Football Playoff system so compelling - and so controversial.
Head-to-head results, strength of schedule, quality of losses, momentum - they all matter, but not always equally. The committee has a tough call to make, and with championship weekend looming, the pressure is only going to ramp up.
By Sunday, we’ll know who made the cut. For now, all Miami and Notre Dame can do is wait - and hope the chips fall in their favor.