By Olivia Attalla
After a challenging but ultimately successful season and a 10-2 scorecard, the Miami Hurricanes rocked the collegiate football world by earning a spot in the College Football Playoff (CFP) over Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish, their longtime rivals. Local fans rejoiced and are hoping the Canes make their endzone dreams come true this Saturday, Dec. 20.
When Miami’s playoff place was in doubt, natives including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, were vocal about their frustration. Half-jokingly, he told President Trump in a cabinet meeting earlier this month: “If the University of Miami gets screwed out of the College Football Playoff after going 10-2 and beating Notre Dame, the whole thing should be scrapped and you’re going to have to take over it next year.”
Even Gov. Ron DeSantis weighed in, tweeting that “if Notre Dame gets in and Miami does not, it would further erode the importance of the regular season.”
From fans to football analysts, there is a lot of excitement around UM’s football team making it to the playoffs after all.
“Miami finishing stronger made their chances higher in the playoffs,” explained JP Acosta, an NFL analyst for CBS Sports. “Despite a similar resume [to other teams], Miami played higher ranked teams, and beat Notre Dame in a head-to-head game. That advanced them to the CFP playoffs.”
Before the start of the season, Miami secured the No. 10 spot in the AP Top 25. Cementing their place at the top, the Hurricanes opened their season with a statement win, defeating Notre Dame 27–24. That victory set the tone for what would become one of the program’s strongest seasons in years. Miami went on to win five straight games before suffering their first home loss to Louisville. They quickly rebounded with a dominant 42–7 win over Stanford, followed by a narrow overtime loss to SMU.
Those setbacks dropped the Hurricanes from the ACC Top 10 to No. 18, sparking heavy criticism from fans claiming that the team wasn’t as strong as they first seemed. However, Miami responded with a vengeance , winning its final four games and finishing the regular season 10–2. Their rise continued after a key win over Pitt, placing them at No. 12 and by early December, at No. 10 — just enough to clinch a playoff spot and eliminate Notre Dame.
Throughout the season, Miami only lost to two teams: Louisville and Southern Methodist University (SMU). The offense and defensive line impressed football analysts game after game.
Acosta noted that the committee ultimately chose the Canes because they won their games by larger margins.
For the playoff game on Dec. 20, Miami will face off against Texas A&M – on Texas’ home turf. But Miami is still favored to win. One reason, Acosta says, is that Texas’ offensive coordinator, Collin Klein, recently accepted a head coaching position with the Kansas State Wildcats. That may play a role in how he navigates and prepares his team for the playoff while making the transition.
Miami’s offense and defense have been impressive all season. Freshman wide receiver Malachi Toney has been a major standout, and quarterback Carson Beck brings playoff experience from Georgia. But Acosta added, “I worry about their inconsistent passing of the ball.”
Mike Rumph, a former NFL player who is currently the Miami Hurricanes Director of Recruiting and On-Campus Experience, also shared his view. Before coaching, Rumph played as a cornerback for the team in the 2001 National Championship.
“The Hurricanes deserve to be in the CFP playoffs,” he said. A fan since the 80s, Rumph said the Canes were often overlooked. This time, the University of Miami came out on top, and Rumph added that it was perfect timing because the Hurricanes have never been to the playoffs, so this is history in the making – and the team is just getting started.
Rumph believes Beck’s game is getting better and better. He has a great connection with the wide receiver Toney, a strong running game, and with CJ Daniel coming back from an injury, Carson is playing his best football right now. He also has more experience than many other quarterbacks in college football playoffs from his time with Georgia.
Rumph’s message to Hurricane supporters is simple: show up and support. He’s hoping fans will travel to College Station to cheer the team on to victory.
Andres Jaime-Mendez, a UM student majoring Broadcast Journalism and Sports Administration, said Notre Dame’s unprofessional conduct underscores why Miami deserved the chance to be in the playoffs. The Indiana-based school decided to opt out of the Pop-Tarts Bowl, a college football postseason bowl game played each December in Orlando, Florida, at Camping World Stadium. It features a matchup between teams from the ACC and the Big 12 conferences.
“It was clear that Miami should be in the playoff and based on Notre Dame’s childish behavior after not being selected, they didn’t deserve to be a part of the 12-team field,” said Jaime-Mendez, who is also a sports broadcaster for WVUM, ESPN+ and ACC Network.
While fans are excited, they’re not banking on the Canes getting to the championship game.
“I’m not sure yet how far the Canes will make it, but this is why Carson Beck was brought in because of his experiences playing in hostile environments,” said Preston Brown, a junior economics major.
Brown and his friends were studying for finals at UM when the news of the playoffs gave them a welcome break from the end-of-semester stress.
“I was optimistic throughout the whole process, never had a doubt,” said Austin Sargenti, a junior finance major. “That’s what happens when you win the head-to-head.”
If the Hurricanes prevail this Saturday, they will move on and compete in the Championship game at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Jan. 19.
