Canes CFP hopes crushed; Irish, Lions move on … Miami looked like they were on cruise control to the ACC title game and an almost guaranteed spot in the CFP playoffs when they jumped out to a 21-0 lead at Syracuse this afternoon; however, it was not to be as the Orange stormed back to stun the ‘Canes 42-38 which puts their playoff hopes in major jeopardy. Miami will have only two losses but both were to unranked opponents and Miami has no wins over top 15-20 teams. One team’s misery, though, can be another’s opportunity as just like that Clemson, which looked to pretty much dead in the water, at least as far as the CFP goes, after the Tigers lost to cross-state rival South Carolina to drop to 9-3 earlier in the day. Instead, with Mimai losing, Clemson will now play upstart SMU in the ACC title game next Saturday with the winner advancing to the national playoffs. Meanwhile, several other teams pretty much guaranteed their calls from the CFP committee with wins in late afternoon games today including Notre Dame, which goes to 11-1 after beating USC in LA, courtesy in large part to a pair of endzone-to-endzone pick 6s, while 11-1 Penn State will play Oregon in the Big 10 championship game next week and win or lose the Nittany Lions should go the playoffs after trouncing Maryland.
