Week 13 Top Stories
1. Pittsburgh collapses, falling to Duke in a major ACC shakeup to keep Panthers out of Charlotte.
2. Clemson WR TJ Moore explodes for 230 yards, three touchdowns in win over rival.
3. Tennessee escapes with three-point win over Vandy.
4. East Carolina continues playoff surge with win over previously ranked UAB
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week 13 ACC Results
PITT 48 - UVA 21 | UNC 17 - WAKE 14 | FSU 42 - DUKE 17 | STAN 24 - CAL 21
MIA 19 - GT 7 | CLEM 52 - BC 17 | NCST34 - CUSE 10
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Conference Championship Schedule AAC Championship Game
#4 Tulane (11-1, 7-1)
#18 Temple (9-3, 7-1)
ACC Championship Game
#10 Clemson (10-2, 6-2)
#13 North Carolina (10-2, 8-0)
Big XII Championship Game
#2 Kansas State (11-1, 8-1)
#1 Cincinnati (11-1, 9-0)
Big Ten Championship Game
UCLA (6-6, 6-3)
#12 Illinois (10-2, 8-1)
C-USA Championship Game
Western Kentucky (9-3, 6-2)
#16 Louisiana Tech (11-1, 8-0)
MAC Championship Game
Buffalo (7-5, 5-3)
#15 Ohio (10-2, 7-1)
MWC Championship Game
#25 Fresno State (9-3, 7-1)
#20 Boise State (10-2, 7-1)
Notre Dame Football set to join the ACC in 2028 as Catholics vs. Convicts could become a yearly tradition Manny Ledo -- The Miami Herald Sports Columnist
After years of independence and a longstanding association with the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in nearly every sport except football, Notre Dame has officially announced it will join the ACC for the 2028 football season. The decision, confirmed by Notre Dame’s athletic department and ACC commissioner, represents a historic shift for the Fighting Irish, ending over a century of independence on the gridiron.
Notre Dame has long resisted conference affiliation in football, priding itself on a storied independent tradition that allowed the Irish to craft their own unique schedule and play games across the country. However, the evolving structure of college football, particularly with the playoff expansion, has introduced a competitive disadvantage for independent teams. Conferences like the ACC not only offer stability in scheduling but now provide a clear path to the playoffs, which independent teams cannot rely on.
Additionally, with a 12-team playoff format rewarding conference champions, Notre Dame’s path to a national title has become more challenging without an automatic bid. Although the team reached the playoffs once under the new format, missing out in other years with conference champions highlighted the importance of a secured bid. The Irish are 8-4 this year with wins over Duke, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Stanford. If they're going to be playing ACC teams, they might as well get the added benefit of the automatic bid.
The Miami Hurricanes could be one of Notre Dame's protected rivals which under the ACC's scheduling format would allow them to play Miami, along with two other teams, every single year along with a rotating ACC schedule.
As it currently stands, Miami's protected rivals are Florida State and Virginia Tech but a solid argument could be made that the renewed Catholics vs. Convicts rivalry might be a better draw for the conference. Either way, the two teams should cross paths relatively soon.
Shannon Dawson, Emory Williams return to Hard Rock in highly anticipated playoff game
Gabriel Lake -- 247 Sports Miami Insider
Mario Cristobal offered Shannon Dawson a unique opportunity, the chance that every middle-aged coaching assistant is dying for: a chance to make their mark and separate themselves from the ratpack.
Dawson had played under Dana Holgorsen and coached next to Hal Mumme. Entering his mid forties, he had always been the guy next to the guy when it came to offensive play calling. Cristobal came calling after a disastrous first year with Broyles Award winner Josh Gattis. Cristobal was taking a chance on Dawson and Dawson was taking a chance on Miami and Cristobal, who had a reputation for being a meddling head coach that stunted offensive innovation.
"One of the best decisions of my life, that's for sure," said Dawson ahead of Oklahoma's matchup against his former boss Cristobal and the Hurricanes, "I really enjoyed my time there and it certainly developed me as a coach, on and off the field."
Dawson arrived in Norman last winter, fresh off a one-year stint down south in Fort Worth where he spent just one year at TCU. The first call he made was to former Miami quarterback Emory Williams, who had just entered the transfer portal.
Williams had led Miami to a win over Clemson as a true freshman and then in his third season, after sitting behind Cam Ward, Dawson and Williams would lead Miami to their first playoff win before losing in the Peach Bowl to Texas A&M.
Dawson would leave for the Horned Frogs and under new offensive coordinator Chris Weinke, Williams was just never on solid footing, splitting time with current Miami quarterback Keke Hagg who was then a true freshman. Despite this, Williams still led the Hurricanes to another ACC Championship and a playoff appearance. He'll be stepping foot in Hard Rock once more but as a visitor this time around after transferring to Oklahoma last spring and leading the Sooners to the playoffs.
"No hard feelings," Williams said of his decision to leave, "[Cristobal] believed in me when a lot of other schools didn't so I'll always love Miami, love that program."
Williams has found his stride under Dawson, throwing for thirty-six touchdowns to just two interceptions after dealing with turnover issues in Weinke's offense. The turnovers have continued for Miami, this time with Hagg who is one touchdown shy of the Miami passing touchdown record but has thrown an interception in all but four games this season with back-to-back games of at least two interceptions in the past two games.
Playoff Quarterfinals Preview: vs. #8 Oklahoma Sooners
Record: 10-2, 6-2
Head Coach: Shannon Dawson
Offensive Scheme: Air Raid
Defensive Scheme: 4-3
Notable Results
vs. Texas (6-6): W 42-28
at #13 Georgia (9-4): L 41-27
vs. Arkansas (8-4): W 31-21
at Vanderbilt (8-4): W 31-13
at Texas A&M (6-6): L 34-30
‣ CFB 2028 College Football Playoffs First Round - Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida (10-3, 6-2 SEC)#8 Oklahoma Sooners at #6 Miami Hurricanes (10-3, 6-2 ACC)OU | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 MIA | 10 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 31
Hurricanes storm past Sooners as Keke Hagg channels Jacory Harris in playoff win
Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal invited various former Hurricanes to speak with the team throughout the week as they prepared to take on the Oklahoma Sooners. One of them was quarterback Jacory Harris, who started and led Miami to a win in their last game against the Sooners.
Harris spent an hour or so with current Miami quarterback Keke Hagg, who wore Harris' trademark shooting sleeve on his right arm, and it was an hour well spent as Hagg was nearly perfect in the Hurricanes 31-10 beatdown of the Sooners to advance to the second round of the college football playoffs.
"[Harris] dealt with a lot of criticism when he was [Miami starting quarterback]," Hagg said of his meeting with Harris after the game, "He understood it better than most so just to chop it up with him, get some game and really understand how to block out the noise and execute."
Hagg's 30-yard touchdown pass to Eric Incoom sent Hard Rock Stadium into a frenzy, which they would maintain throughout the first half, jumping to a 21-3 lead. The Sooners would make it interesting early in the second half with former Miami quarterback Emory Williams completing a screen pass on the very first play of the third quarter that went for a touchdown.
The Hurricanes offense would stagger in the second half, punting four times but the Sooners offense was unable to cut into the fourteen point lead. With six minutes left, James Fernandez would bring Williams bring on a sack when the Sooners had gotten the ball to the Miami 35-yard line. Former Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson would choose to go for it on 4th and 19, resulting in an incomplete pass and a turnover on downs.
Hagg would convert a third and ten with a 20-yard completion to Incoom and four plays later, Isaac Brown found the endzone for the game clinching touchdown.
The Hurricanes are set to play top ranked Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl. Scoring Summary Quarter 1 James Rutter, 51 Yd FG (8:49) Eric Incoom 30 Yd pass from Keke Hagg (0:25)
Quarter 2 Darrell Feeley, 50 Yd FG (7:37) Chris Johnson Jr, 23 Yd run (3:31) Isaac Brown, 1 Yd run (0:08)
Quarter 3 David Cantrell 75 Yd pass from Emory Williams (11:48)
Quarter 4 Isaac Brown, 1 Yd run (1:56) Player Stats QB Emory Williams: 19-31, 260 yds, TD, INT, sacked 4 times QB Keke Hagg: 18-21, 237 yds, TD, sacked twice, 6 att, 29 yds
HB Kevin Bercovici: 19 att, 48 yds HB Isaac Brown: 22 att, 99 yds, 2 TD
QB Blake Barnett: 71 cmp%, 3523 yds, 34 TD, 10 INT
QB Christopher Vizzina: 70 cmp%, 3912 yds, 44 TD, 4 INT
QB Jaden Rashada: 64 cmp%, 3859 yds, 40 TD, 5 INT
QB Luke Kromenhoek: 69 cmp%, 2879 yds, 33 TD, 5 INT
QB Nico Iamaleava: 67 cmp%, 3278 yds, 38 TD, 2 INT
HC Deion Sanders (fired)
HC Jamey Chadwell (fired)
HC Jeff Lebby (fired)
HC Greg Schiano (fired)
HC Tony Sanchez (fired)
HC Pat Narduzzi (retired)
HC Jeff Brohm (fired)
HC Kyle Wittingham (fired)
HC Brent Pry (fired)
James Rutter, 51 Yd FG (8:49)