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Miami and Ohio State are no strangers to playing each other in big games.
On Wednesday, the two teams will play each other in the Cotton Bowl Classic at 7:30 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium. Ohio State, who is 12-1 and the No. 2 seed in the College Football Playoff, enjoyed a bye through the first round as they look to defend their title.
Miami, who was 10-2 and the No. 10 seed in the College Football Playoff, upset No. 7 Texas A&M on the road in the first round in a defensive struggle, winning 10-3.
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(Left) Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) looks on against the Indiana Hoosiers during the 2025 Big Ten championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Dec. 6, 2025. (Right) Miami Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck (11) looks on during the game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, on Dec. 20, 2025. (Aaron Doster/Imagn Images;Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)
The Hurricanes’ defense had nine sacks on the day, with potential first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr. having a team-high three sacks and four tackles for loss. Keionte Scott had 10 total tackles with two sacks and three tackles for loss as well.
Quarterback Carson Beck was solid, yet unspectacular, in the win for Miami. He completed 14 of 20 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown, connecting with Malachi Toney on an 11-yard pass late in the fourth quarter to give Miami a lead they would not relinquish.
The win for Miami over Texas A&M was their first ever in the College Football Playoff.
Ohio State, on the other hand, is coming off a crushing 13-10 loss to Indiana in the Big Ten championship. They are well-rested, as they earned the first-round bye, but will already be taking a different path to the College Football Playoff championship than last year.
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Miami Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck (11) passes against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium on Nov. 29, 2025. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)
Last season, Ohio State did not have a bye, as they were the No. 6 seed. They dominated Tennessee, winning 42-17 in the opening round, helping build momentum for their eventual championship run.
This year, however, Ohio State enters the quarterfinals coming off a loss and on a bye.
The Buckeyes are led by their defense, which is one of the best in the nation. Ohio State has yielded the fewest opposing touchdowns (10) and the fewest yards per game (213.5) in the country.
They are led by safety Caleb Downs and linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, all three of whom could be first-round picks in the NFL Draft.
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Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates a catch during the NCAA football game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 1, 2025. (IMAGN)
On the other side of the ball, Ohio State might have the best wide receiver duo in the country in Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. Smith leads the team with 80 receptions, 1,086 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Tate has 48 catches for 838 yards and nine touchdowns.
One other difference from this year’s Ohio State team is the quarterback. Will Howard went on to the NFL, leaving Julian Sayin as the starter.
Sayin has been remarkably efficient, completing 78% of his passes for 3,323 yards with 31 touchdowns and six interceptions.
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The Buckeyes hope their playoff experience can lead them to another bowl win over Miami.
This matchup will be the sixth meeting between these two programs, with the most notable one the Fiesta Bowl in 2003. Ohio State beat Miami 31-21 in double overtime tin win the national championship.
Ohio State is 3-2 all-time against Miami, although one of their wins in 2010 was vacated, so technically the series is 2-2.
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