Let me preface this question by saying, I’m well aware that Clemson must defeat Notre Dame in the ACCCG for the scenario of UNC being an option for the Orange Bowl to exist. There is even slim possibility with a loss Notre Dame falls out of the top 4. I consider that quite unlikely though.
The real question is if Clemson beats Notre Dame, should the Orange Bowl select North Carolina or Miami?
UNC will be 8-3 with an unsightly loss to Florida State. and defeat at the hands of unranked Virginia.
Miami will be 8-2 with a loss to Clemson and Saturday’s 62-26 route to North Carolina.
Miami’s game with Georgia Tech has been cancelled already.
The Hurricanes are currently ranked #10 and are sure to take a sizeable fall in the rankings while UNC will obviously rise from #17.
I think we are sure to see come next week that UNC will be ahead of Miami, but again do they deserve it?
I will grant you that losing to Florida State was a truly dreadful loss and the worst of any of the top half of ACC teams. That game was also nearly two months ago, but it’s a black eye – no question.
With only a half-game difference in the standings – head to head results should be the defining data point.
Saturday UNC dominated Miami from start to finish, and on the road at that. I think if they played 5 more times this month, UNC would beat Miami 5 more times.
UNC should be ranked higher than Miami. They defeated them by a very wide margin, and what else do you need to see?
If Clemson defeats Notre Dame, then North Carolina should be the ACC representative in the Orange Bowl. With that really talented offense, and a defense that’s come alive the last couple of weeks UNC has earned their way in.
Now those same Tar Heels and their fans suddenly are huge Clemson Tiger fans.
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