Less than a week after the first College Football Playoff rankings were released, the landscape of college football shifted dramatically on Saturday. The No. 4 Miami Hurricanes faced their first defeat of the season, falling 28-23 to Georgia Tech on the road. This loss not only halted Miami’s undefeated run but also raised significant questions about their playoff and conference title aspirations.
Georgia Tech’s historic win
The victory was monumental for Georgia Tech, as it marked a program-defining moment under third-year head coach Brent Key. With this win, Key improved his record to an impressive 6-1 against ranked ACC opponents and celebrated his first victory over a top-five team. The Yellow Jackets, now bowl eligible with a record of 6-4 overall and 4-3 in the ACC, showcased resilience and determination throughout the game.
How Georgia Tech upset the Canes at home
The game was a rollercoaster of emotions, featuring back-and-forth action that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Georgia Tech struck first, taking an early 7-0 lead before Miami responded with a 10-7 advantage midway through the first quarter. The Yellow Jackets regained control, with quarterback Haynes King connecting with Malik Rutherford for a five-yard touchdown, giving Tech a 14-10 lead at halftime.
Despite playing with a shoulder injury, King made crucial contributions, finishing the game 6-for-6 for 32 yards and a touchdown while also rushing 20 times for 93 yards. His five-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter pushed Georgia Tech’s lead to 28-16, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
Miami’s Heisman Trophy candidate, Cam Ward, had a stellar performance, completing 25 of 39 passes for 348 yards and three touchdowns. However, he couldn’t complete a fourth-quarter comeback. Trailing 28-23 with less than two minutes remaining, Ward faced a critical moment. Unfortunately, he was strip-sacked, allowing Georgia Tech to recover and run out the clock, sealing the Canes’ fate.
Implications for Miami’s playoff chances
So, what does this loss mean for Miami’s playoff hopes? With the expanded 12-team playoff format, one loss doesn’t automatically eliminate the Hurricanes from contention. However, the defeat has serious implications for their standing in the ACC. Miami now finds itself tied for second place in the conference with Clemson, both sporting a 5-1 record. SMU currently leads the ACC with an undefeated 5-0 record in conference play.
Looking ahead, Miami’s remaining schedule features two crucial matchups: they will face Wake Forest at home on November 23 and travel to Syracuse on November 30. The Canes are expected to be favored in both games. If they win out, they could finish the season at 11-1 overall and 7-1 in the ACC, potentially setting up a showdown against SMU in the conference title game.
However, the ACC’s unique tiebreaker scenarios could complicate matters. With the league eliminating divisions this year, determining which two teams advance to the ACC title game will rely on tiebreaker rules. Miami, Clemson, and SMU do not play each other, meaning head-to-head results won’t factor in. Instead, the winning percentage of common opponents and each team’s conference opponents will be used to determine the standings.
Current ACC standings
To better understand the implications, let’s take a look at the current ACC standings:
| Team | ACC record |
| SMU | 5-0 |
| Clemson | 6-1 |
| Miami | 5-1 |
| Pitt | 3-2 |
As the season progresses, SMU has remaining games against Boston College, Virginia, and Cal. Clemson’s final two ACC matchups include contests at Virginia Tech and against No. 18 Pitt. Meanwhile, Pitt has four ACC games left, including matchups against Virginia, Clemson, Louisville, and Boston College.
If Miami manages to secure a spot in the ACC title game and triumphs over SMU, they would not only claim the conference championship but also earn an automatic berth in the College Football Playoff, along with a first-round bye. However, the uncertainty surrounding the tiebreaker scenarios raises the possibility that Miami may not even make it to the ACC title game.
The road ahead for Miami
Despite the setback, Miami still has a path to the playoffs. A one-loss team that was previously ranked in the top five should still have a solid shot at making the 12-team CFP field. Yet, with this being the inaugural year of the expanded playoff format, the landscape remains unpredictable.
Will the Canes bounce back and reclaim their position as a playoff contender? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: the excitement of college football is far from over, and every game counts as teams fight for their place in history. The next few weeks will be critical for Miami as they look to turn the page and focus on what lies ahead.
