Criticism of Miami getting CFP invite looks foolish after win over Ohio State

Miami has proved that it not only belongs in this season's College Football Playoff, but the No. 10 seed Hurricanes are also a legit contender to win the entire 12-team event. So much for all the naysayers out there.

Miami's inclusion in the CFP at the conclusion of the 2025 campaign came with a lot of controversy. The Hurricanes were the last power-conference squad to receive an at-large invite, with the only participants behind Miami being No. 11 seed Tulane and No. 12 seed James Madison, both Group of 5 conference champions that picked up automatic bids.

Some college football observers and plenty of fans felt that perhaps Notre Dame, Texas, Vanderbilt or even BYU should have gotten in over Atlantic Coast Conference school Miami, which didn't even make the ACC Championship Game (that was Duke and Virginia).

But since the CFP got underway, all the Hurricanes have done is conquer No. 7 seed Texas A&M on the road in College Station, which is an immensely tough environment in which to compete. That was the tournament's first round.

Then, on New Year's Eve, Miami dominated No. 2 seed Ohio State in a CFP quarterfinal clash. Talk about a run so far for head coach Mario Cristobal and "The U."

Miami is on a stellar CFP journey

The Hurricanes (12-2 overall) looked mighty impressive in their 24-14 victory over Ohio State (12-2 overall), which won last season's CFP national title.

Some analysts and talking heads are calling this Miami triumph a massive upset, and yes, the Buckeyes were looking to repeat as champs. But the Hurricanes are 6-0 against ranked foes this year, and their two setbacks were by a combined nine points against ACC members Louisville and SMU, which claimed nine and eight wins, respectively, in 2025.

What's so tremendous about Miami's upset of Ohio State is how efficient the Hurricanes were, scoring 24 points against the nation's No. 1 scoring defense while committing zero penalties. Zero.

Ohio State also has allowed the fewest total yards per game in the country, and its rushing defense is elite. On Wednesday night in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic in Arlington, Texas, Miami significantly outrushed the Buckeyes, 153-45.

The Hurricanes were a fantastic 50 percent on third-down conversions (7-of-14), while Ohio State was just 3-of-10. Plus, Miami redshirt senior quarterback Carson Beck was mistake-free, while the Hurricanes' relentless defense picked off Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin, Ohio State's sophomore signal-caller, twice.

Sure, Miami will be the lowest-seeded team remaining in the CFP's upcoming semifinal encounters, but make no mistake about it: The Hurricanes have the goods to win the whole darn thing.