Overview
- CFP chair Hunter Yurachek said Miami’s 27-24 Week 1 victory was the deciding metric once the teams were compared side by side, noting the committee rewatched the game and highlighted Miami’s run defense and perceived athleticism edge.
- BYU’s Big 12 title-game loss reshuffled the bubble, moving Miami to No. 10 and pushing Notre Dame to No. 11 as Tulane and James Madison took the final automatic berths as high-ranked conference champions.
- Notre Dame announced it will not play in a bowl after the snub; reports indicated a Pop-Tarts Bowl invite versus BYU was expected, and as an independent the school faces no conference fine for opting out.
- Athletic director Pete Bevacqua called the weekly ranking shows a “farce” and described “overwhelming shock and sadness,” while coach Marcus Freeman told players he had “no answers” for the decision.
- ESPN’s on-air push for Miami late in championship broadcasts drew scrutiny, some ESPN voices criticized Notre Dame’s bowl opt-out, and Fox analyst Brady Quinn accused the network of undercutting the Irish and then condemning their decision.