University of Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich did not hold back his disappointment upon learning that his Hurricanes were ranked No. 12 in Tuesday’s latest College Football Playoff rankings, and thus out of the 12-team field in favor of No. 11 Alabama, who earned the last at-large bid in this iteration.

Michigan AD Warde Manuel, the chair of the College Football Playoff selection committee, explained the reason Alabama was ranked ahead of Miami: The Tide are 3-1 against current Top 25 teams and Miami is 0-1. Warde also noted that Alabama is 6-1 against teams above .500 and Miami is 4-2.

“Really ??” Radakovich said on X on Tuesday. “What put Bama over the top of Miami for the last spot in is that Miami went 1-2 in their last 3 games (by an average of 4.5 pts, to a ranked Syracuse and (Georgia Tech) team that just took (Georgia) to 8OT). Bama went 2-1 (to 5-7 Auburn, destroyed by (Oklahoma), and beat FCS Mercer).”

Really ?? ….what put Bama over the top of Miami for the last spot in is that Miami went 1-2 in their last 3 games (by an average of 4.5 pts, to a ranked Syracuse and GT team that just took UGA to 8OT). Bama went 2-1 (to 5-7 Auburn, destroyed by OU, and beat FCS Mercer)

— Dan Radakovich (@DanRadakovich) December 4, 2024

Radakovich and football coach Mario Cristobal both pitched for the Canes’ inclusion in the 12-team field earlier Tuesday.

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips also came to Miami’s defense: “We are certainly pleased that SMU moved up in the rankings and that the Committee continued to recognize the Mustangs’ incredible season, which should unequivocally earn them a Playoff spot, regardless of this weekend’s outcome. With that said, we are also incredibly shocked and disappointed that Miami dropped six spots to No. 12.

“Miami has more wins and fewer losses than the team directly ahead of them and a dominant victory over an SEC team whose late-season surge includes a win over No. 13 Ole Miss. Moreover, with two losses by a combined nine points — to a ranked Syracuse team and a Georgia Tech team that just took No. 5 Georgia to eight overtimes. Miami absolutely deserves better from the Committee.

“As we look ahead to the final rankings, we hope the Committee will reconsider and put a deserving Miami in the field. We will continue to look forward to this weekend, when Clemson and SMU have an opportunity to earn an ACC championship and represent the conference in the CFP.”

Miami is now projected to play against BYU in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Dec. 28. According to The Athletic’s latest projections, the Hurricanes have only an eight percent chance to make the Playoff. The field will be finalized Sunday, Dec. 8 after the FBS conference championship games.

GO DEEPER

College football bowl projections: SEC gets all the love for the Playoff field

The case for Miami

Miami had a strong case to finish ahead of the Crimson Tide. Where Manuel and the selection committee missed the boat is by dismissing the fact that Miami’s two losses were to quality opponents. Georgia Tech finished 7-5 but took Georgia, a Playoff team and SEC finalist, to eight overtimes. Syracuse is 9-3 and No. 22 in the CFP rankings.

Two of Alabama’s three losses were to Vanderbilt (6-6) and Oklahoma (6-6). The loss to the Sooners happened just two weeks ago and was by 21 points. — Manny Navarro, Miami beat writer

The case against Miami

Miami being eliminated from CFP contention came off as a pleasant surprise after several weeks of overrating the Canes, and after Manuel seemed to telegraph that the relative weakness of Miami’s profile would not count against it.

“Teams can only play the (conference) schedule that’s in front of them,” Manuel said after last week’s rankings. “They can only play the opponents that they have. So we take the stance that we’re going to really look at these games, we’re going to look at the stats, we’re going to look at the strength of schedule, but we’re also going to look at how teams are performing against the competition that they have. From our perspective, if it was just about strength of schedule, we wouldn’t be needed.”

GO DEEPER

Ding dong, Miami’s dead, but did Ole Miss deserve the CFP rankings nod over Alabama?

In penalizing Miami, the committee thought beyond the simplicity of counting loss totals, valued good wins over “good losses” and ejected a team with a poor strength of schedule and no ranked wins. It’s not Miami’s fault that it didn’t play Clemson and SMU this season, but it’s not to Miami’s credit, either. — Joe Rexrode, college sports columnist

(Photo: Al Diaz / Miami Herald / Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Now, this is the Bryce Young the NFL had been expecting.

The 2023 No. 1 pick has played much better since returning to the Carolina Panthers starting lineup five weeks ago, and the gradual progression of late has been the most encouraging. A coach who recently prepared for his team to play against the Panthers noted that Young’s comfort in the pocket has been a launching point for improvement.

Young has completed 60.4 percent of his passes over the past five games for 1,082 yards, six touchdowns, three interceptions and an 83.5 passer rating. He’s also logged 82 rushing yards and a score. They aren’t gaudy numbers, but they’ve been efficient.

And let’s not forget, the Panthers still have enough holes on the roster that they’ll be in contention for the No. 1 pick in April. Young returned to a team that was again a seller at the trade deadline.

Young, who has had three head coaches (one interim) in two seasons, started poorly and was benched after two games. He didn’t throw a touchdown pass as the Panthers only generated 13 points in two blowout losses, and he was picked three times and sacked six times.

So the Panthers turned to veteran Andy Dalton, a controversial move that made some around the league wonder whether they were done with Young altogether. Head coach Dave Canales had been credited for his previous work with Russell Wilson and Baker Mayfield, so Young’s two-game trial his new coach was alarmingly short after the Panthers invested so much to draft him.

To think, Young’s return to the field wasn’t even part of the plan. Dalton injured his thumb in a car accident, so the Panthers had no choice but to go back to Young.

He had one of his best statistical performances in his re-debut, a 28-14 loss to the Broncos, before leading the Panthers to tight victories against the Saints and Giants. But Young really caught everyone’s attention when he rallied the offense for a game-tying drive against the Chiefs, who ultimately won at the buzzer. And Sunday, Young was again nails in crunchtime in a tough overtime loss to the Buccaneers.

“The surprising thing before (the benching) was that he struggled to deal with pressure. That wasn’t an issue in college,” a rival executive said. “He’s more confident now. He was taking a beating before. He seemed like a battered player.

“They’ve gotten better as an offense overall. Sitting down and coming back, he’s more confident in what he’s doing.”

Young was sacked 62 times in 16 starts as a rookie, so the pocket jitters were understandable. He’s also dealt with scheme and regime changes. Force a young quarterback to perpetually play catch-up to the environment around him, and the fundamentals can get lost.

Since the chaos has settled in Carolina, Young has developed more trust with his skill players. He only had two completions of at least 20 yards in his first two starts of the season, but he has 15 such plays since returning.

Things are finally moving in the right direction, with Young and Canales looking like a better pair than it appeared in September.

“Bryce had a rough go, but it seems like he is starting to understand the offense,” another evaluator said. “He’s getting protected a little better and being decisive. He did go No. 1 for a reason.”

First, Cousins

Kirk Cousins is coming off his worst outing with the Atlanta Falcons, tossing four interceptions in a 17-13 loss to a Los Angeles Chargers team with a strong defense. But the 36-year-old now leads the NFL with 13 interceptions, and he has no touchdowns against six picks during a three-game losing streak that’s dropped the Falcons into a tie with the Buccaneers in the NFC South.

With those factors, along with Cousins clearly still recovering from a torn Achilles, there will be mounting pressure to turn toward rookie Michael Penix Jr. The first-round pick has blown away the Falcons’ brass, from the way he carried himself in the building over the offseason to his regular-season work on the practice field. There’s a lot of optimism over Penix’s future.

But there’s also hope for the present. Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million contract last offseason, and the Falcons own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Bucs. The Falcons rank fourth in passing yards and eighth in total yards this season, so the offense has pulled its weight, even if it’s been sporadic at times, including the four-pick performance costing Atlanta a win.

This is all to say Cousins should, in theory, give the Falcons a better chance to reach the playoffs than a rookie with five career passing attempts. Oh, and the Falcons are about to visit the Minnesota Vikings, so there’s no reason to think they’d shelve Cousins before an emotional game against his former team.

GO DEEPER

NFL playoff picture after Week 13: Steelers seize control of AFC North, Bills clinch AFC East

But what if the slump continues, or the Falcons fall a couple of games behind the Bucs? It’d be logical to give Penix a look down the stretch to at least open the possibility of shifting to Plan B in 2025, especially since he’s been crushing it in practice.

There’d also be a benefit to keeping Cousins healthy, considering how difficult it is for anyone to come back so quickly from an Achilles injury. Cousins has $27.5 million in guaranteed money in 2025, so it’d be natural to want to get the most out of him under the circumstances.

These decisions aren’t made in a vacuum, though. If Penix played well down the stretch, there’d be more pressure to play him in 2025. And if the Falcons agreed with that sentiment, they’d have to find a new home for Cousins, who has a no-trade clause.

The Falcons could handle the financial fallout of parting with Cousins because they’d be promoting a quarterback on a rookie contract, but it’s also the type of decision that could dramatically backfire if Penix didn’t immediately pan out. And no matter how well a quarterback performs in practice, you don’t know how a QB will look in a game until he amasses enough experience.

It’s an enticing thought, but probably not something the Falcons should act upon unless it becomes absolutely necessary.

GO DEEPER

Josh Allen, Saquon Barkley, Lamar Jackson and a sizzling MVP race: Sando’s Pick Six

Back on top

Josh Allen returned to the top of the rankings for the first time since Weeks 4-5. The Buffalo Bills QB opened the season at No. 2 behind Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes. Allen remained there for three weeks and then struggled for a couple of games before tumbling to No. 4 for four weeks. He earned strong consideration at No. 1 a week ago, and his incredible performance in the snow against the 49ers, coupled with Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson’s loss to the Eagles, solidified the change.

Amari Cooper and Josh Allen connect for the ultimate snow game touchdown ‼️

🎥 @NFL pic.twitter.com/xcOw7jZSEB

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) December 2, 2024

Allen’s passing/receiving touchdown will be one of the highlights of the season, the answer to a trivia question and possibly one of the most iconic plays in Bills history. Maybe, for some, it will be viewed as his MVP moment.

But from this vantage point, Allen began his mission to overtake Jackson in the MVP race in Week 11 with his 26-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-2 to effectively beat the Chiefs. The race is far from a formality, though, as Jackson, Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff and Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley don’t figure to be going anywhere.

Jackson’s numbers are still better across the board, save for rushing touchdowns, where Allen has a 6-3 edge. Jackson’s Ravens also blew out Allen’s Bills in Week 4.

But the Bills are in contention for the AFC’s No. 1 seed, while Allen is coming through with some big moments down the stretch. There’s a legitimate argument to be made for the primary characters in the race.

Injury notes

• Baker Mayfield should be good to go this week against the Raiders, according to league sources. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB was still sore Monday after a Panthers defender stepped on the back of his right leg Sunday, causing Mayfield to visit the injury tent and wear a walking boot after the game. But there was no need to undergo further testing. Mayfield has played through far more serious injuries in the past.

• Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said Monday they’re still assessing options with Trevor Lawrence, who suffered a scary concussion Sunday against the Texans. Lawrence will remain in the rankings until a decision has been made on his availability.

• Drew Lock became the 45th QB to appear in the rankings this season because he started the Giants’ last game and the team declined to announce which of Daniel Jones’ former backups would start its upcoming game against the Saints.

Dropped out of rankings: Giants’ Tommy DeVito (forearm injury), No. 32 last week.

(Photo of Bryce Young: Matt Kelley / Getty Images)

UConn star Paige Bueckers continues to make history.

On Monday, Nike named Bueckers as the first name, image and likeness athlete to design and launch a player edition sneaker, with the brand debuting Bueckers’ Nike G.T. Hustle 3 on Saturday.

“It’s definitely motivating to wear your own shoe,” Bueckers said in a statement. “I grew up wearing Nikes — all the signature shoes — so it’s surreal to have this player edition model. I just want to show out in it.”

The sneaker features details personal to the 2021 Naismith Player of the Year. The area codes for Storrs, Conn., and Bueckers’ hometown in Minnesota intersect on the left tongue, and a text bubble with the phrase “Be You, Be Great” is printed on the left heel as a nod to the message she receives from her father before every game. “Bueckers” is printed on the right heel.

Bueckers first signed an NIL deal with Nike in September 2023, adding the apparel company to a lengthy list of deals with companies such as Gatorade, Dunkin’, Bose and Chegg.

In August, Bueckers also signed an NIL deal with Unrivaled, the new winter 3×3 professional league co-founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. She became the first NCAA athlete to receive ownership equity in a league. She is expected to play in the league next year.

Bueckers’ playing future has been a recent topic of conversation following the 2025 WNBA Draft Lottery in mid-November. The Dallas Wings won the lottery, allowing them to select Bueckers No. 1 if the Huskies star declares for April’s draft.

Bueckers is a redshirt senior, though she still could return to UConn for an additional season after receiving an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Bueckers told The Athletic this summer that she planned for this college season to be her last, and she later shared in a social media post that she was taking part in her last UConn media day this fall.

She joins a growing group of women’s basketball players to have design input on Nike sneakers. Jewell Loyd and Jonquel Jones are among WNBA players who unveiled Nike player-exclusive sneakers this past season, while Sabrina Ionescuhas a popular signature sneaker and A’ja Wilson’s will be on the market by the 2025 WNBA season. Caitlin Clark also debuted several player-exclusive sneakers, and she reportedly will receive a Nike signature sneaker in the future as part of an endorsement deal she signed last spring.

Through six games this season, Bueckers, a two-time first-team All-American, is averaging 22 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. UConn is undefeated and hosts Holy Cross on Tuesday before playing Louisville in the Women’s Champions Classic at Barclays Center on Saturday.

Required reading

(Photos courtesy of Nike)