StevensTechU wrote: Sat Nov 29, 2025 8:11 pm
I've had the same thought but my god it would take some blatant shenanigans, because their loss to SMU gets worse if Cal wins this.
Shenanigans is what college football committees are all about, but in reality it could set things right. From what I can tell, if Alabama wins tonight, the only 2 options are to drop either ND or BYU. If the committee wants to stick with their logic of not punishing teams for losing in the conference championship games, assuming BYU were to lose, that just leaves ND. Most people already think Miami should be ahead of them, so it really might work out in the end.
Edit:
That just leaves 4 conference champions doesn't it. Looks like Miami might still get left out no matter how they try to work it
StevensTechU wrote: Sat Nov 29, 2025 8:11 pm
I've had the same thought but my god it would take some blatant shenanigans, because their loss to SMU gets worse if Cal wins this.
Shenanigans is what college football committees are all about, but in reality it could set things right. From what I can tell, if Alabama wins tonight, the only 2 options are to drop either ND or BYU. If the committee wants to stick with their logic of not punishing teams for losing in the conference championship games, assuming BYU were to lose, that just leaves ND. Most people already think Miami should be ahead of them, so it really might work out in the end.
Edit:
That just leaves 4 conference champions doesn't it. Looks like Miami might still get left out no matter how they try to work it
I think the only scenario where Miami possibly gets in would be if Duke wins the ACC and they still want an ACC team in the playoff and choose Miami over Notre Dame (or over someone like Bama if they either lose tonight or get blown out by UGA for the SEC title).
In: Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon, A&M, Ole Miss, Georgia, Oklahoma, AAC champ, Texas Tech, JMU or Virginia, Notre Dame.
Miami gets in if Alabama and BYU both lose in their conference championship games. If BYU wins, they get the auto bid and I don't think Texas Tech would drop out.
StevensTechU wrote: Sat Nov 29, 2025 8:34 pm
In: Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon, A&M, Ole Miss, Georgia, Oklahoma, AAC champ, Texas Tech, JMU or Virginia, Notre Dame.
Miami gets in if Alabama and BYU both lose in their conference championship games. If BYU wins, they get the auto bid and I don't think Texas Tech would drop out.
The problem is that the committee has said they won't punish a team for losing their conference championship game. If they want to avoid doing that they would have to drop Notre Dame out, unless they go back on what they've said
StevensTechU wrote: Sat Nov 29, 2025 8:34 pm
In: Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon, A&M, Ole Miss, Georgia, Oklahoma, AAC champ, Texas Tech, JMU or Virginia, Notre Dame.
Miami gets in if Alabama and BYU both lose in their conference championship games. If BYU wins, they get the auto bid and I don't think Texas Tech would drop out.
If Bama and BYU somehow both win, ND fans would have a meltdown because they would be out too. (OSU, Indiana, Oregon, ATM, Ole Miss, UGA, OU, Tech, Tulane, JMU or UVA, Bama, BYU).
StevensTechU wrote: Sat Nov 29, 2025 8:34 pm
In: Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon, A&M, Ole Miss, Georgia, Oklahoma, AAC champ, Texas Tech, JMU or Virginia, Notre Dame.
Miami gets in if Alabama and BYU both lose in their conference championship games. If BYU wins, they get the auto bid and I don't think Texas Tech would drop out.
If Bama and BYU somehow both win, ND fans would have a meltdown because they would be out too. (OSU, Indiana, Oregon, ATM, Ole Miss, UGA, OU, Tech, Tulane, JMU or UVA, Bama, BYU).
Great point. I had to read that like three times before it sank in.
StevensTechU wrote: Sat Nov 29, 2025 8:34 pm
In: Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon, A&M, Ole Miss, Georgia, Oklahoma, AAC champ, Texas Tech, JMU or Virginia, Notre Dame.
Miami gets in if Alabama and BYU both lose in their conference championship games. If BYU wins, they get the auto bid and I don't think Texas Tech would drop out.
The problem is that the committee has said they won't punish a team for losing their conference championship game. If they want to avoid doing that they would have to drop Notre Dame out, unless they go back on what they've said
Have they said that? I know they set a bit of a precedent with how they handled SMU losing to Clemson last year, but that was also a very tight contest. I don't ever watch the TV shows so I have little idea what narratives they've committed to.
If Bama and SMU both end up winning tonight, then Miami will be left to root for Stanford to take down Notre Dame tonight to keep their playoff hopes alive.
StevensTechU wrote: Sat Nov 29, 2025 8:34 pm
In: Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon, A&M, Ole Miss, Georgia, Oklahoma, AAC champ, Texas Tech, JMU or Virginia, Notre Dame.
Miami gets in if Alabama and BYU both lose in their conference championship games. If BYU wins, they get the auto bid and I don't think Texas Tech would drop out.
The problem is that the committee has said they won't punish a team for losing their conference championship game. If they want to avoid doing that they would have to drop Notre Dame out, unless they go back on what they've said
Have they said that? I know they set a bit of a precedent with how they handled SMU losing to Clemson last year, but that was also a very tight contest. I don't ever watch the TV shows so I have little idea what narratives they've committed to.
So from what I've read, they say they won't punish teams for losing their championship, but it's not a "set in stone" rule, so I'm sure there will likely be a scenario that comes up that'll force them to go back on that.
It goes back to that debate last year of whether or not it's truly beneficial to play in the championship game of you're already locked into a playoff spot
And after giving up the lead, Cal comes back and re-takes the lead. SMU has 43 seconds left to try to either win it or go to OT, otherwise the dream of Miami is still alive.
pdxduck2013 wrote: Sat Nov 29, 2025 9:37 pm
And Cal holds on to win, so Megadouche Mario still has a chance to make the playoff if Duke beats UVA next week.
That game won't affect Miami. If Virginia wins, they're in. If Duke wins, James Madison is in. Miami will only make the playoffs if the committee erases the board and starts over to put Miami ahead of BYU, Alabama and/or Notre Dame.
Pretty obvious from this discussion that Oregon had no shot if they lost today. Such a huge victory, and so fun to be in position to eat popcorn while these blue-blood teams fight with each other about who gets in. Twelve playoffs berths is a fun number.
pdxduck2013 wrote: Sat Nov 29, 2025 9:37 pm
And Cal holds on to win, so Megadouche Mario still has a chance to make the playoff if Duke beats UVA next week.
That game won't affect Miami. If Virginia wins, they're in. If Duke wins, James Madison is in. Miami will only make the playoffs if the committee erases the board and starts over to put Miami ahead of BYU, Alabama and/or Notre Dame.
What I was implying was that the ACC is likely getting no more than one team in, so Miami's likely only way in is if they get an at-large bid, which I think will only happen if the ACC champion doesn't get in due to Duke winning. Could the committee put two ACC teams in? Sure, but it seems unlikely.
