Why the College Football Playoff committee has it right with Notre Dame over Miami

Controversy has erupted over the College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings, with Notre Dame being placed ahead of Miami despite a head-to-head loss to the Hurricanes earlier in the season. Critics have questioned the rationale behind the rankings, as Miami defeated Notre Dame in Week 1. The CFP committee, led by new chair Hunter Yurachek, justified the decision by emphasizing the overall strength of Notre Dame's season compared to Miami's.

Notre Dame's losses were to top-ranked teams by narrow margins, including a 27-24 loss to Miami and a 41-40 loss to then-unbeaten Texas A&M. In contrast, Miami's recent losses were against unranked Louisville and SMU, with the latter now ranked No. 21 largely due to that win.

The committee argued that Notre Dame's consistent performance, including nine consecutive wins, many by wide margins, justified their higher ranking. Miami's recent form, including a close call against Virginia Tech, did not compare