Miami's Playoff Hopes Take Significant Hit As Carson Beck Ot Interception Sets Up Smu Win

Miami vanished nan 2024 regular play classed No. 13 by nan College Football Playoff action committee, a ranking that near nan Hurricanes 2 slots extracurricular of nan last at-large bid claimed by SMU. A late-season nonaccomplishment to upstart Syracuse knocked Miami retired of nan ACC title game, helping Clemson scope nan game, hit SMU and declare a convention champion spot, while nan 11–2 Mustangs edged retired Alabama and nan Hurricanes.

Through early October, Miami successful 2025 looked poised to avenge past year’s disappointing finish, scoring wins complete Notre Dame, a South Florida programme that was a favourite to gain nan Group of 5 CFP spot and in-state rivals Florida and Florida State done nan first week of October. The Canes vaulted up to No. 2 successful nan AP canvass earlier dropping a weeknight crippled to Louisville, and sewage backmost connected their feet against Stanford past week earlier their first crippled against SMU arsenic an ACC foe. Once again nan Mustangs sewage nan amended of Miami, and this clip it came connected nan field.

The teams played a back-and-forth matter successful Dallas, pinch 9 necktie aliases lead changes throughout. Canes backmost Carson Beck threw for 274 yards and a brace of touchdowns, but it was 2 immense mistakes that yet defined his Saturday afternoon. With Miami up 7–0 successful nan early 2nd quarter, Beck was picked disconnected by information Ahmaad Moses astatine nan Hurricanes’ 28-yard line. On nan very adjacent play, SMU’s Kevin Jennings recovered Yamir Knight for a touchdown to necktie nan game.

The 2 sides continued to waste and acquisition scores, pinch SMU tying nan crippled astatine 20 pinch a 38-yard Sam Keltner section extremity pinch 25 seconds near successful regulation. Miami had nan first possession of overtime, and what transpired proved why teams for illustration to unfastened connected defense successful other time. On third-and-6 from nan 7-yard line, Beck was intercepted by Moses for nan 2nd time connected nan day. SMU only needed a section extremity to win, but still recovered nan extremity area connected a T.J. Harden run—the sixth consecutive tally for nan Mustangs connected their overtime possession—to triumph nan game.

Falling to SMU connected nan roadworthy isn’t a unspeakable nonaccomplishment successful and of itself, and Miami could scope nan CFP pinch 2 losses, particularly pinch immoderate bully early-season wins connected nan résumé. However, nan astir nonstop measurement for The U to make nan 12-team section was ever to triumph nan ACC, and they whitethorn get boxed retired of nan opportunity.

Georgia Tech is 8–0 and will beryllium favored to triumph retired successful convention play earlier it plays Georgia to extremity nan season, which won’t effect nan ACC race. Virginia is 7–1 and 4–0 successful ACC play; its nonaccomplishment came to NC State but nan crippled was contested retired of nan convention schedule. Duke (which hit Clemson Saturday), Louisville, Pittsburgh and SMU each person conscionable 1 convention loss, while nan Canes are now 2–2 successful convention play. Georgia Tech and Virginia don’t play, truthful they could some cruise to Charlotte pinch manageable precocious schedules. Of nan zero and one-loss ACC teams, nan only matchups that will return spot are Georgia Tech vs. Pitt, Duke vs. Virginia and SMU vs. Louisville. We whitethorn person a very muddy ACC image astatine nan extremity of nan season, but it is looking beautiful improbable that Miami will find its measurement to nan convention title crippled without a batch of help.

ESPN’s playoff predictor gives Miami a 24% chance of reaching nan CFP if it wins retired but doesn’t make nan ACC championship, and that feels generous.

With nan loss, nan Hurricanes besides fell retired of Sports Illustrated’s unrecorded CFP bracket. Check backmost passim Week 10 to spot really our Bryan Fischer has nan chips falling.

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