Mario Cristobal and Miami receive massive bad news on playoff hopes as Georgia blows out Alabama in SEC championship, per CFB insider

Mario Cristobal’s Miami Hurricanes received a blow to their playoff hopes following a projection by college football insider Heather Dinich. Heading into the final week of CFP rankings, much debate revolved around Miami’s playoff fate, especially with a team like Notre Dame ranking above it.

However, conference championships took place over the weekend, adding more dynamics to an already complicated situation. BYU’s loss in the Big 12 championship game boosted Notre Dame’s hopes, while Alabama’s loss to Georgia added more factors to consider.

Dinich analyzed the situation after the SEC championship game on Saturday, giving an insight into the committee’s decision-making. She said:

“Well, while so much of the outside world has been focused on the debate between Miami and Notre Dame, in the selection committee meeting room upstairs, for the bulk of the season, their biggest debate has been between Alabama and Notre Dame. So it would not surprise me in the least if they flipped again this week. And what that would do is it would put Notre Dame in at nine, Alabama in at 10 as the last two at-large teams, followed by Miami and BYU getting knocked out for those conference champions. Now that’s not a guarantee. I’m telling you something they’ll consider.”

How has Mario Cristobal's Miami done in the CFP rankings?

Mario Cristobal’s side has trailed behind Notre Dame in the CFP rankings, despite having a head-to-head advantage. Alabama’s result on Saturday would likely see Notre Dame climbing above it in the final ranking, which could be an unfavorable scenario for the Hurricanes.

One might argue for Alabama also dropping below Miami, but Dinich makes a point about its regular-season victory over Georgia.

Starting the season with a victory over Notre Dame may end up meaning nothing for the Hurricanes’ playoff dreams, in a disappointing turn of events. It is a frustrating situation for Cristobal, who said:

“I feel like I’m in court, defending a case that never should have been brought to court in the first place if we were solely looking at the facts.”

This season marks the Hurricanes’ second straight 10-win season under Mario Cristobal. Last season, he led the program to its first 10-win season since 2017. But for a home loss to Louisville in October and an overtime loss to SMU, the Hurricanes’ claim to a playoff spot could’ve been undisputed.