Where will Miami be in CFP rankings? How new 12-team College Football Playoff works
The College Football Playoff rankings are nearly here, with Tuesday's reveal show almost certainly involving the Miami Hurricanes.
Miami (9-0) has taken a big leap forward this season, having already won more games in 2024 than they did in a 7-6 campaign last year. Third-year head coach Mario Cristobal has the high-scoring Hurricanes sitting pretty at No. 4 in both the Coaches Poll and the AP Poll, and Miami is a popular pick to win the ACC crown as a result.
Senior quarterback Cam Ward has been superb, throwing for over 3,000 yards already (not to mention 29 touchdowns), connecting well with slot receiver Xavier Restrepo (nine touchdowns, 856 yards) in a balanced offense that also features a three-headed rushing attack lead by Ward and running backs Damien Martinez and Mark Fletcher, Jr.
Here's what to know about the new CFP format, and what it means for the Hurricanes:
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How many teams in College Football Playoff 2024?
The 2024 College Football Playoff contains 12 teams. That's a big change from the previous 10 years, when the CFP field consisted of just four teams, and allows conferences to have multiple representatives in the race to win it all.
How does College Football Playoff format work?
The new 12-team College Football Playoff format does not include automatic bids for a given conference champion. Instead, the five highest-ranked teams on Selection Sunday that won their conference are guaranteed a place in the field, with the top four from that group getting first-round byes.
The fifth conference champion will fit in alongside the seven highest-ranked schools left regardless of conference, with those eight teams being seeded and paired off (5 vs. 12, 6 vs. 11, 7 vs. 10, 8 vs. 9). The higher-seeded team will host the first-round playoff game.
The four teams that win in the first round advance to the quarterfinal, which will include the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Sugar Bowl. The semifinals will be played at the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl Classic, while the last two surviving teams will play in the National Championship game at Mercedez-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.
College Football Playoff schedule
All times Eastern
The College Football Playoff dates to know are as follows:
Tuesday, Nov. 5: CFP Rankings reveal show — 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 12: CFP Rankings reveal show — 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 19: CFP Rankings reveal show — 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 26: CFP Rankings reveal show — 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 3: CFP Rankings reveal show — 7 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 8: Selection Sunday — 12 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 20: First round game, teams and location TBD — 8 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 21: First round game, teams and location TBD — 12 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 21: First round game, teams and location TBD — 4 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 21: First round game, teams and location TBD — 12 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 31: Fiesta Bowl (teams TBD) — 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 1: Peach Bowl (teams TBD) — 1 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 1: Rose Bowl (teams TBD) — 5 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 1: Sugar Bowl (teams TBD) — 8:45 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 9: Orange Bowl (teams TBD) — 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 10: Cotton Bowl Classic (teams TBD) — 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 20: National Championship (teams TBD) — 7:30 p.m.
What Bowl Games are in the CFP?
With the new format coming online, the 2024 CFP will include six prominent bowl games as well as the National Championship game on Monday, Jan. 20.
While the first round will see the higher-ranked team host, the quarterfinals will be where the big bowl games start to factor in. The Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Sugar Bowl will be used to narrow the field down to its final four contenders.
The semifinal round will consist of the Orange Bowl (Thursday, Jan. 9) and the Cotton Bowl Classic (Friday, Jan. 10), with the last two teams standing meeting in the National Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.
Miami football’s projected CFP bracket opponent
Thanks to Miami's 9-0 start to the season, prognosticators are expecting that the Hurricanes will get a first-round bye. Depending on what seed Miami gets, that would set up a clash in the quarterfinal round with the winner of a first-round game.
As of Nov. 5, here are the teams major outlets think Miami will have to get past in the College Football Playoff:
USA TODAY: Texas Longhorns
Erick Smith sees the Hurricanes getting a bye as ACC champions, claiming a place in the Peach Bowl. In his projections, that means taking on the first-round winner between Texas and Indiana. For Smith, the Longhorns take the win there, setting up two historic programs for a quarterfinal battle.
ESPN: Texas Longhorns or Indiana Hoosiers
Heather Dinich has the Hurricanes landing the No. 3 seed in the final CFP rankings, and says ESPN analytics has given Miami a 75% chance of entering the playoff undefeated. In her scenario, that means awaiting the winner of the first-round game between projected No. 6 seed Texas and the projected No. 11 Indiana Hoosiers.
CBS Sports: Texas Longhorns or Indiana Hoosiers
Add Jerry Palm to the list of experts tipping Miami to end up as the third seed, and to be placed in the Peach Bowl. His 6-versus-11 matchup? Texas and Indiana.
The Athletic: Penn State Nittany Lions or Tennessee Volunteers
Austin Mock broke from the pack here, in part because he sees the Hurricanes picking up the No. 2 seed. While there is on prediction of which bowl game Miami will play in during the quarterfinals, the higher seed means a different set of opponents. In this projection, Miami would await the winner of a first-round game between No. 7 Penn State and No. 10 Tennessee.
When College Football Playoff rankings come out
The first round of CFP rankings will be announced Tuesday at roughly 7 p.m. ET.
The College Football Playoff rankings will then be announced on Tuesday in each of the four weeks that follow, with Selection Sunday on Dec. 8 setting the final 12-team CFP field.
How to watch College Football Playoff rankings show
The College Football Playoff rankings show will air on ESPN, with the broadcast starting at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Fans can also stream the show on Fubo.
Watch the CFP rankings show on Fubo
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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami in CFP rankings: How new 12-team College Football Playoff works
