Mario Cristobal‘s Miami, despite winning seven games already, has had two slip-ups: losses to Louisville and at SMU. Thus, their road to the CFB Playoff is far from straightforward for them. Even their star QB had issues despite a record-breaking night. That’s why the Hurricanes’ playoff hopes seem in danger, according to Joe DeLeone.

The latest chaos in the ACC could play in their favor for the playoffs. Louisville just got upset against Cal. Virginia just got upset against Wake Forest, and that might give Miami a boost in the CFP rankings. On Sunday’s appearance on The Ruffino & Joe Show, DeLeone first cleared the path for Miami by talking about its playoff hopes. “The teams that are currently sitting at the top of the ACC are Georgia Tech, Virginia, Pitts, SMU, Duke, Louisville, Miami…Miami plays NC State, Virginia Tech, and Pitt.” But the road isn’t that easy. As DeLeone said, “Miami still has a shot.”

Here, he laid out the scenario, stating that a couple of teams ahead of Miami would need to lose, and then a win over Pitt could punch their ticket to the ACC Title Game. With a 7-2 overall record, Miami sits in 7th position in the ACC. DeLeone’s concern speaks volumes considering the Hurricanes’ offensive struggles. To make matters worse, he stressed the bigger picture.

“They have serious issues, and they can’t finish when it matters most.” Then he painted a bleak picture for the ACC, which signals the path to the playoffs is narrow for Mario Cristobal. “None of these teams are good, none of these teams are legitimate Top 12 teams. None of them should be ranked higher than 15 after this week’s rankings,” he said. The regular season exists to determine the most legitimate teams to win a conference title and compete for a national title. But the ACC is struggling to produce a clear contender.

Right now, the ACC has 5 teams with one loss each. Georgia Tech, Virginia, Pitt, SMU, and Duke. Trouble for Miami is that they are tied with Louisville with two losses each. If it is a tie, the advantage will be with the Cardinals since they beat the Hurricanes. There is a complicated way out for Mario Cristobal’s team.

They should focus on winning all their games and hope SMU does the same. Plus, pray for Pitt to beat Georgia Tech, Duke to beat Virginia, and then lose to Wake Forest. This will not directly earn them a shot, but it will be enough to enter a 5-way tie. For Miami, being in the ACC, every step is crucial to make the playoff dream. The woes seem not to end for the program with QB Carson Beck’s inconsistent play.

Mario Cristobal’s QB is still a concern

There’s no doubt that Carson Beck showed flashes of brilliance in Miami’s 38-10 win over Syracuse. The 22-year-old threw for a TD, the 10,000-yard passing mark for his college career in that game, but critics can’t overlook his initial struggle. “Miami had no points on its first 22 plays, then 22 points on its next 22 plays,” said Shannon Sharpe on Nightcap. With that inconsistency, Beck’s turnovers have haunted Miami all season.

Despite having weapons around him, the QB has recorded 9 interceptions so far this season. “Beck throwing the interceptions that he throws. But I think about the talent he has around him, which is good enough to where. Even on a bad night, if he has a bad night, the talent around him should be able to overshadow his bad play. And that just hadn’t been the case,” mentioned Chad Johnson.

Despite the roster, Sharpe made his blunt segment and expectations for Carson Beck. “I feel they’ve lost some games that they definitely should not have lost because their quarterback has turned the ball over at the most inappropriate and the most inopportune times too many times,” mentioned Sharp. Against SMU, this was a costly mistake.

When the points were tied 20-20, the game went into overtime. Ahmaad Moses intercepted as Carson Beck attempted a pass to Malachi Toney near the end. Later, Mustangs RB T.J. Harden rushed for a one-yard touchdown to win the game by 26-20. Beck’s mistakes at key moments have cost Miami not only in chasing the conference title but also in their playoff hopes. Now, their QB and the team would have to be perfect and hope other results go in their favor to make the playoff spot.