The tension around the College Football Playoff bubble took an unexpected turn this week when Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian publicly questioned how the Miami Hurricanes closed out its latest 38-7 win against Pittsburgh.
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal did not hesitate to respond to Sarkisian's shot at the Hurricanes. Speaking with Brett McMurphy of On3, he countered Sarkisian’s critique by highlighting both teams’ results against Florida.
“That’s funny. We had one common opponent: Florida dominated Texas 29-21, a team we beat convincingly 26-7. That settles that debate,” said Cristobal.
The Hurricanes, making their case for the CFP picture, defeated Pitts, but it was the final touchdown that sparked controversy. With Miami already up 31-7 and less than a minute remaining, the Hurricanes dialled up a deep shot, a 33-yard touchdown from Carson Beck to CJ Daniels.
For Miami, the score was an intentional push before Tuesday’s CFP rankings were released. But for Sarkisian, it crossed a line.
During an appearance on SEC Network, Sarkisian referenced Miami’s final touchdown while rhetorically arguing that the committee should look beyond final scores and consider strength of competition. He did not mention Miami, but took a thinly veiled shot at Cristobal & co.
“There's teams that are ranked in front of us that haven't played any top-10 ranked teams,” said Sarkisian, via NashTalksTexas. “My point to everybody is, is this about what your record is at the end?…Or is it don't play good teams, put up a bunch of yards, put up a bunch of points and make it look good. Throw fade route touchdowns with 38 seconds to go when you're ahead 31-7 so that the score looks better. Is the committee really watching the games, or are they looking at a stat sheet at the end of the game?”
Sarkisian’s remarks came after Texas boosted its resume with a season-ending 27-17 win over previously unbeaten Texas A&M (11-1). However, the Longhorns’ three losses remain a major obstacle as they attempt to stay in the playoff conversation.
With Selection Day approaching, verbal jabs may not sway the committee, but they underscore how tight the margins are for programs fighting to stay relevant in the playoff chase.
As the final rankings loom, both Miami (10-2) and Texas (9-3) will be watching closely and hoping their closing arguments were loud enough to be heard.
