Paul Finebaum Reveals Who Should Be Blamed For Miami's College Football Playoff Snub
The College Football Playoff selection committee wasn't going to make everyone happy with Tuesday's updated rankings. Following Miami's 42-38 upset loss to Syracuse on Saturday, the No. 12 Hurricanes are out and No. 11 Alabama is in the penultimate CFP bracket.
There has been much debate whether Miami, Alabama, BYU, South Carolina or Ole Miss are more deserving of the final spot.
On ESPN's "Get Up" Wednesday morning, Paul Finebaum explained why he thought Miami deserved to fall out of the CFP. Finebaum blamed Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal for his late-game decision-making in the loss to Syracuse on Saturday.
Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal on the sideline.
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
"I think it's the way that Miami game ended," Finebaum said to host Mike Greenberg. "You know, Alabama was beating Auburn, a pedestrian team that's been going nowhere, while Mario Cristobal's team was literally throwing up all over the field up in Syracuse. They had a 21-to-nothing lead.
"Cristobal decided not to go for a first down on fourth and 10 (with 3:42 left in the fourth quarter). He kicked a meaningless field goal. He never got the ball back and ultimately, I think that's where it ended for the Hurricanes."
The selection committee dropped Miami from No. 6 to No. 12 after the loss. The Hurricanes would have faced SMU in the ACC Championship Game if they had defeated the Orange, controlling their CFP destiny and playing for a first-round bye.
At 10-2, Miami is on the outside looking in before conference championship games are played on Friday and Saturday. Cristobal can only think about the what-ifs in the final four minutes of the Hurricanes' Week 14 loss.
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