The Atlantic Coast Conference is changing the tiebreaker rules used to determine teams for its football conference championship game, following what multiple outlets describe as a controversial outcome last season. The dispute centered on how Duke, despite finishing with five losses, advanced to the ACC title game over then-No. 10 Miami. Miami had been selected to the expanded College Football Playoff and later reaches the national title game, where it loses to No. 1 Indiana 27-21. Several accounts note that Miami’s at-large path came with the risk that the conference title game matchup decision could have affected its playoff qualification. Duke won the ACC championship game last year, beating No. 20 Virginia for its first outright conference title since 1962. However, Duke was not selected for the College Football Playoff, a result that drew criticism, including from Duke coach Manny Diaz. The outlets report that the ACC’s adjustments are aimed at preventing similar scenarios in future seasons by revising how ties are broken when teams have comparable league standings or records.
ACC revamps football title game tiebreakers after Miami-Duke controversy
The Atlantic Coast Conference is changing the tiebreaker rules used to determine teams for its football conference championship game, following what multiple outlets describe as a controversial outcom...
- The ACC is revising tiebreaker rules for determining participants in the football conference championship game.
- The changes follow last season’s controversy involving Duke and Miami.
- Duke reached the ACC championship game despite finishing with five losses, while Miami was then ranked No. 10.
- Miami makes the College Football Playoff and later plays in the national title game, losing to No. 1 Indiana 27-21.
- Duke won the ACC championship game last season by defeating No. 20 Virginia, but was not selected for the College Football Playoff.
The ACC is revamping the tiebreaker format for its football championship game following a controversial finish that allowed a 5-loss Duke team to reach the title game over then No. 10-ranked Miami.
4 hours agoThe Atlantic Coast Conference is revamping the tiebreaker format for its football championship game following a controversial finish last season that allowed a five-loss Duke team to get in over then-No. 10-ranked Miami — a situation that put the Hurricanes at risk of missing the expanded College Football Playoff. Miami, which had been the ACC's most dominant team during the regular season, wound up being selected for the playoff and went on to reach the national title game, where it fell short to No. 1 Indiana 27-21. Duke beat No. 20 Virginia in the ACC championship game last year for its first outright ACC title since 1962 but was not selected for the CFP, much to the dismay of Blue Devils coach Manny Diaz.
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