Rubio To Trump: Take Over The College Football Playoff If Miami Gets Snubbed
Rubio’s Trump quip spotlights Miami’s shaky CFP bid and the stakes of championship weekend.
We are firmly in the middle of the College Football Playoff debate season as teams jockey to make the 12-team tournament. Many teams have locked up their spots already, but a few will have to wait and see how the conference championships play out.
One team currently on the outside looking in is Miami. The Hurricanes went 10-2 but failed to reach the ACC Championship. Although Miami currently holds a top-12 spot in the College Football Playoff Rankings (No. 12), the inability to add another victory puts it in a very precarious position. Oddsmakers don't like Miami's chances, listing the Hurricanes at +550 odds to reach the tournament.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was born in Miami and attended the University of Florida (for his undergraduate degree) and the University of Miami (for his doctorate degree), said he's a Gator at heart but wants to see the Hurricanes reach the CFP. If not, Rubio thinks President Donald Trump should take over the CFP committee.
"This is the most wonderful and magical time of the year. By that, of course, I'm referring to the College Football Playoff," Rubio said, drawing laughter from reporters.
Secretary of State and Florida native Marco Rubio wants Miami in the CFP and joked President Donald Trump should take over the selection committee if the 10–2 Hurricanes are left out.
(Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
"I'm a Florida Gator, but if the University of Miami gets screwed out of the College Football Playoff after going 10-2 and beating Notre Dame, the whole thing should be scrapped, and you're going to have to take over," the Secretary of State said as he pointed at Trump.
"Good," Trump responded with a smile.
Miami Doesn't Have a Great CFP Case
Miami is the subject of intense debate as it relates to the College Football Playoff. As Rubio mentioned, the Hurricanes beat Notre Dame (a team likely to make the CFP with -375 odds). But the team's other "good" wins don't look great in retrospect. Miami defeated four ranked (at the time) opponents, but only Notre Dame and Pitt are still ranked.
Florida State was No. 18 when Miami got that win, but the Seminoles limped to a 5-7 record. South Florida was also No. 18 when it lost to Miami, but finished 9-3 with losses to Memphis and Navy and is unranked following the regular season.
Yes, Miami beat Pitt in the final game of the regular season, 38-7, and Pitt sits at No. 22 in the CFP rankings. However, Pitt is a four-loss team. Because Miami didn't reach the ACC Championship, it has no opportunity to improve its resume.
The Miami Hurricanes and head coach Mario Cristobal are at the mercy of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee.
(Justin Berl/Getty Images)
It also puts the conference in a tough spot. Duke, which lost five games but only two in conference play, reached the ACC title game with a 7-5 overall record. There was a five-way tie for the second spot in the ACC title game (including Miami), but Duke won a convoluted tiebreaker.
The Blue Devils will face Virginia, which went 7-1 in ACC play and 10-2 overall. Miami is ranked higher than both Duke (unranked) and Virginia (No. 18). If Duke were to win, the ACC might get shut out of the CFP completely for the fourth time in the past five years. Virginia is likely to secure a spot with a win over Duke, further complicating the path for Miami.
What Would Miami Need to Reach the 12-Team Playoff?
First, and most importantly, Miami needs No. 5 Texas Tech to defeat No. 11 BYU in the Big 12 Championship. The Red Raiders are likely in the CFP whether they win or lose, but BYU would be out with a loss. That means if BYU beats Texas Tech, both are probably in the College Football Playoff, eliminating one spot for another team, like Miami.
The other result Miami needs is No. 4 Georgia beating No. 10 Alabama in the SEC Championship. This would create a similar situation to the Big 12 scenario where Alabama might need a win to get into the playoffs while Georgia is already locked in. However, unlike BYU, Alabama could still receive an at-large bid with a loss to Georgia.
Even if both go Miami's way, the school still faces an uphill battle. No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana are locks to make the College Football Playoff regardless of who wins the Big Ten Championship. No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 6 Oregon, No. 7 Ole Miss, No. 8 Oklahoma and No. 9 Notre Dame aren't playing conference championship games (like Miami), but all are ranked ahead of the Hurricanes.
Plus, the highest-ranked Group of Five conference champion is guaranteed a spot in the field. Since none of those teams are currently ranked ahead of Miami, at least one school is guaranteed to jump the Hurricanes (likely Tulane or North Texas, whichever team wins the AAC).
Like the odds suggest, Miami needs a ton of help to reach the CFP and, even if everything goes right, it's still not a guarantee. So, if Marco Rubio has his way, President Trump could be heading up the College Football Playoff Selection Committee in 2026.