Marco Rubio (L) is a big college football fan(Image: Getty Images)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a University of Florida alumnus and former Florida senator, joked today at the White House that President Donald Trump may need to “take over” the College Football Playoff if 10-2 Miami isn’t named to the 12-team field.
Miami is fresh off a road win over ranked Pitt and boasts an impressive victory over Notre Dame, but the Hurricanes are also saddled with frustrating losses to unranked Louisville (at home) and SMU.
The Hurricanes are on the bubble, along with a handful of programs such as a red-hot Texas team, as they patiently await the outcome of this weekend’s college football conference championship games. The likes of Alabama, Virginia and BYU are all slated to play in pivotal matchups.
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“I do want to say that this is the most wonderful time of the year, by that I’m referring to the College Football Playoffs,” Rubio said at the White House on Tuesday, drawing a smile out of Trump.
“I’m a Florida Gator, but if the University of Miami gets s—— out of the College Football Playoffs after going 10-2 and beating Notre Dame, the whole thing should be scrapped, and you’re gonna have to take over it,” he said.
Miami missed out on the upcoming ACC championship in favor of a five-loss Duke side (same conference record) and Virginia. A Duke win might mean no ACC team makes the field (Miami didn’t play either team).
ESPN currently projects the Hurricanes to miss out on the playoff field, claiming that Alabama’s SEC championship game (against Georgia) and BYU’s Big 12 title match (against Texas Tech) shouldn’t hurt them.
QB Carson Beck led Miami to a big win over Pitt on Saturday(Image: Getty Images)
Miami coach Mario Cristobal attracted criticism from Texas coach Steve Sarkisian after the Hurricanes were accused of running up the score in their 38-7 win over Pitt last Saturday.
“My point to everybody is, is this about what your record is at the end?” Sarkisian asked. “Or is this about beating quality teams and showing how good of a team you really are by beating quality teams on the field. 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.:
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Cristobal responded by citing a common opponent between the teams — Rubio’s Florida Gators, who lost to Miami but beat Texas.
“I get it, everybody’s trying to posture themselves for their programs and whatnot, the great part about stuff like that when coaches try to speak about themselves like that, they also gotta take a look at the common opponent between us, and that particular coach,” he said.
“Seeing that we had the opportunity to really dominate that opponent while that opponent dominated them.”