The 25-day wait for another Ohio State football game is over.
#10 Miami
Hurricanes
Three-and-a-half weeks after losing to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game, Ohio State finally gets the chance to wash the bad taste out of its mouth as it faces Miami in the Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes’ season and hopes of winning a second straight national championship will be on the line as the game will be the first of four quarterfinals in this year’s College Football Playoff.
There are plenty of questions surrounding Ohio State entering the game as Ryan Day takes over offensive play calling for the first time in two years after the Buckeyes scored just 10 points vs. the Hoosiers. But the Buckeyes have plenty of stars with the potential to take over the game and lead Ohio State to its fifth straight CFP win dating back to last season.
As we wait for the Buckeyes’ battle with the Hurricanes to begin, we break down our biggest questions entering the game, pick our top players to watch and make some predictions for what we’ll see on New Year’s Eve night in Arlington, Texas.
Questions
Can Ohio State’s offense flip the switch again?
Just like last year, the offensive side of the ball is where the biggest questions lie entering the College Football Playoff. With Ohio State once again entering the CFP off a 13-10 loss in which its offensive line struggled mightily, there are concerns about whether the Buckeyes have a national championship-caliber offense. Those questions are exacerbated this year by a change in offensive play callers, as Day opted to take over offensive play calling – a role he last held when the Buckeyes suffered a 14-3 loss to Missouri in the 2023 Cotton Bowl – due to Brian Hartline splitting his time between Ohio State and his new job as South Florida’s head coach over the past few weeks.
But the Buckeyes’ offense found another gear in the CFP last season, starting with a 42-17 win over Tennessee. Like last year, the Buckeyes still have the nation’s best receiving corps, with Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate leading the way. Julian Sayin is just as capable of leading Ohio State to a national championship run as Will Howard was a year ago.
While Ohio State played at a slow pace on offense for most of the regular season, Ryan Day said in November that the Buckeyes would “turn up the gas” when it’s time. That didn’t happen in the Big Ten Championship Game, but three weeks to get healthy and work through their issues could be exactly what they need to find their offensive form. Whether they do could determine if they win a second straight national championship; if they don’t, their season could end tonight.
– Dan Hope
Will the Buckeyes' offensive line stand up to Miami's defensive line?
This, to me, is the matchup that will determine whether Ohio State can pull away from the Hurricanes and more or less cruise to the quarterfinals or whether it gets dragged into a knockdown, drag-out fight for four quarters. The Buckeyes, after floundering up front vs. Indiana in the Big Ten title game, are seeking a repeat of 2024 on their offensive line, when the unit responded to its worst performance of the season against Michigan with an immaculate CFP run.
There might not be a better defensive end tandem in the country than Miami's Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor, however. Defensive tackle Ahmad Moten Sr. is a monster on the interior, too. No one is expecting Ohio State's OL to take this contest over, but if it can hold its muster enough for Julian Sayin to work downfield, that could be enough for a few explosive plays that create separation for the Buckeyes.
– Andy Anders
Can Ohio State make Carson Beck uncomfortable?
According to Pro Football Focus, Miami’s 86.8 pass-blocking grade and Beck’s 2.33-second average time to throw both rank No. 3 nationally, allowing Beck to remain clean and comfortable in the pocket for most of the season. When he isn’t, though, Beck becomes a drastically worse quarterback, dropping from PFF’s No. 58 quarterback when clean to No. 112 when pressured. If Matt Patricia’s defense can make Beck uncomfortable, good tidings may come for the Buckeyes.
– Chase Brown
Players to Watch
Jeremiah Smith
I'll take the most obvious one here. Smith is back to full health for the first time in over a month and has extra motivation not just to deliver on the CFP stage but to show out against his hometown team as a Miami Gardens native. The Hurricanes' corners have also shown some weakness against downfield passing, so expect some shots early to Ohio State's brightest star.
– Andy Anders
Kayden McDonald
McDonald has been a breakout star for Ohio State this season, tallying 57 tackles and eight tackles for loss. The Buckeyes will look for another standout performance from the 326-pound junior as Miami’s rushing offense appears to be peaking after Mark Fletcher Jr.’s 17-carry, 172-yard showing in the CFP first round. Slowing Fletcher down sounds like a job tailor-made for a unanimous All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year.
– Chase Brown
Arvell Reese
Reese didn’t have a ton of production down the stretch of the season for Ohio State, recording just eight tackles in the Buckeyes’ last five games, but he was a massive game-changer for the Ohio State defense in its first eight games of the season. The consensus All-American is overdue for a big game, and Matt Patricia will surely have plenty of creative ideas to unleash Reese in the CFP, especially against Miami given Beck’s aforementioned struggles when blitzed. I’m expecting Reese to make multiple game-changing plays that leave NFL scouts and draft analysts salivating.
– Dan Hope
Predictions
Jeremiah Smith tops 100 yards, scores two touchdowns
Ohio State’s superstar receiver had triple-digit receiving yards and two touchdowns in each of the Buckeyes’ first two CFP games last season. He’s as motivated as he’s ever been for any game entering this year’s CFP as the Miami native faces his hometown team after being snubbed for the Biletnikoff Award. Smith is hungry to make a statement that he’s the best receiver in college football and that he made the right choice by becoming a Buckeye rather than a Hurricane, and I expect him to deliver with a standout performance in the Cotton Bowl.
– Dan Hope
Miami scores, at most, one touchdown
There are some great weapons in the Hurricanes' arsenal, no doubt, with freshman phenom wide receiver Malachi Toney and quality quarterback Carson Beck steering the ship. But Ohio State's defense stays elite. I'm stamping it. One end zone trip, maximum.
– Andy Anders
Ohio State scores multiple touchdowns from 20+ yards
What’s the best way to eliminate red-zone issues? Score from outside the red zone. In Ohio State’s first-round win over Tennessee in 2024, the Buckeyes found the end zone from 37, 29, 22 and 24 yards out, along with two 1-yard scores. This year’s CFP opener feels like a game where Ohio State dials up similar explosive plays as Ryan Day, Brian Hartline and Keenan Bailey get aggressive to open the postseason.
– Chase Brown
