The recent ACC Championship Game saw the College Football Playoff (CFP) Selection Committee in a tight spot, with considerable chances that the ACC might not secure a spot in the anticipated expanded 12-team bracket.

Duke’s dramatic overtime victory against 17th-ranked Virginia has knocked the conference out of contention for the No. 11 seed, as the Cavaliers now sit behind Tulane, the American champion.

The committee now faces a decision between Manny Diaz’s squad at Duke and James Madison, crowned Sun Belt champions, for the last automatic berth.

Miami, often regarded as the premier team in the ACC, missed the championship game due to a series of complex tiebreakers. The Hurricanes are now left hoping that Alabama’s loss to Georgia will influence the committee to choose them over Alabama or Notre Dame for the remaining at-large bid.

Duke (record: 8-5) boasts seven wins over Power Five opponents this year, but their five losses, including to Tulane, came against teams with a combined record of 46-14, further complicating their case.

Diaz has asserted the strength of his schedule, saying:

“They don’t have wins like this. They don’t have a win against a team like that. That’s a big-time team right there in Virginia. Seven wins in this conference, seven Power Four wins compared to zero. That’s a playoff team. Darian Mensah may be the best damn quarterback in the country. These guys deserve to be in.”

ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips has vocally supported the argument for multiple playoff bids for the conference, but without favorable outcomes, the ACC might end up with no teams in the playoff.

“Absolutely” is a strong word, and it reflects the feat of his teams despite the dire situation, stressing the need for postseason recognition for Miami and Duke.