Miami Hurricanes’ playoff hope took a serious nosedive at the latest CFP ranking breakdown. Cam Ward did everything to get his team to the thick, but their collective slump in a 42-38 loss to the Syracuse Orange last weekend made it a bad trip for Mario Cristobal. The SEC biggie stands at No. 12, marking six spots down from their previous rank. But the worst thing is, they are behind the Alabama Crimson Tide. Despite fans venting out their rage on social media, it is what it is.

But guess what? This is not the only heartbreak that Cristobal has to deal with this weekend. Three-star safety Timothy Merritt withdrew his commitment from the Canes and moved to Tennessee as part of the national signing day mayhem. To add to the insult, the 2025 top recruit made a savage gesture to show the change in his priority on the national media.

It was a complete last-minute move for Merritt. While we anticipate a lot of flips long ahead of the signing day, the Tennessee 2025 commit kept it close to his chest until Tuesday. Spilling the bombshell, the athlete noted, ”The Vols stood very high at the top of my recruitment board. They always showed me love and made me feel like I should make that place the decision for me. Today (Tuesday) was when I made the decision actually I was talking with my family and we know that’s the best move for me. It feels great.”

During the media call, Merritt picked up the Miami hat, wore it for a second, and then threw it out to pick the Tennessee hat. What an embarrassing way to tell Cristobal, ‘Look, I am out of your house now!’

The Miami coach, however, would barely get time to pay heed to Merritt’s taunt. He’s a lot more to focus on right now. Cristobal didn’t stop defending his team amidst the major CFB snub. He kept on putting the committee at fault for keeping the other team with nine wins ahead of a team that had ten under their belt. The fanfare heavily backed his claim, smelling favoritism toward No. 11 Alabama. Although Warde Manuel, the committee chairman, pointed out a dark truth, the protest spree continues.

Moving back to Merrit, the latest assaulter of the Canes, he seemed to dish a huge five-word hint over his decision a couple of months ago.

Tim Merrit had eyes for the Vols since his last visit

Merritt had a visit to Knoxville, Tennessee, back in October. While it’s true that the three-star recruit has largely been low-key regarding his choices, he didn’t hide his inclination over the Vols. Tennessee managed to impress their key target with a 24-17 win over Alabama, sowing the seeds of the official sign. Expressing his feelings after the visit, the prized defensive back let the fans know it’s a two-man race. It was Miami vs Tennessee. The athlete liked how Josh Heupel and the other staff made him feel at home and validated his worth by being on a relentless push.

The coaching staff convinced Merrit that he was nothing but a top at their recruitment board at this point and having him is a must, not a choice. Receiving validation often works like magic for any concerned entity. There is no exception for Tim Merritt. The Vols physiologically had him on board before they garnered it officially.

When asked about a bottom-line message for fans amidst the recruitment mayhem, the kid said, ”Stay tuned and Go Vols!”

It will be fun to see him soar in the Orange jersey from now onwards.