Cotton Bowl Clash: No. 2 Ohio State Faces No. 10 Miami With CFP Semifinal Spot on the Line
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The stakes are sky-high at AT&T Stadium as No. 2-seed Ohio State prepares to square off against No. 10-seed Miami in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. This isn’t just another bowl game-it’s a College Football Playoff quarterfinal, and a trip to the Fiesta Bowl semifinal is on the line.
For the Buckeyes, the road here began with a first-round bye, a reward for their dominant regular season and No. 2 seeding. Miami, meanwhile, is riding momentum after grinding out a 10-3 win over No.
7 Texas A&M in the opening round. That win wasn’t flashy, but it was gritty-exactly the kind of tone-setter a lower seed needs to make a run in this expanded playoff format.
A Familiar Postseason Foe
When these two programs last met in the postseason, history was made. That was the 2003 Fiesta Bowl-an overtime thriller that ended with Ohio State hoisting the national championship trophy and Miami’s 34-game win streak snapped.
Since then, they’ve only crossed paths twice: Ohio State took the 2010 matchup, while Miami answered back in 2011. But this Cotton Bowl feels different.
This one has national title implications again, and both programs are eyeing a return to the sport’s biggest stage.
Back in Big D
The Buckeyes are no strangers to AT&T Stadium. They etched their name into CFP lore here back in the 2014 season, when they steamrolled Oregon 42-20 to win the first-ever College Football Playoff under the old four-team format.
That night, Ezekiel Elliott ran wild, and a third-string quarterback named Cardale Jones became a legend. Now, a new Buckeye squad returns to the same field, looking to write their own chapter.
For Miami, this marks just their second appearance in the Cotton Bowl-and the first since New Year’s Day 1991. That’s a long drought, but this year’s Hurricanes have already shown they’re not just happy to be here. They’re here to compete.
Kickoff Details
The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 31, and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. Dave Pasch will be on the call, joined by Dusty Dvoracek and Quint Kessenich for analysis and sideline coverage.
For fans in Ohio, the game will also be broadcast on 97.1 The Fan and the Ohio State Sports Network, with the familiar trio of Paul Keels, Jim Lachey, and Tyler Danburg on the mic. Skip Mosic will handle production and hosting duties.
Postgame interviews with head coach Ryan Day and Buckeye players will be available on 10TV+ and the 10TV News mobile app.
Vegas Likes the Buckeyes
According to BetMGM, Ohio State enters this matchup as a 9.5-point favorite. That’s a healthy margin, but if this postseason has already taught us anything, it’s that seeding and spreads don’t always tell the full story. Miami’s defense showed up in a big way against Texas A&M, and if they can replicate that effort, we could be in for a tighter game than expected.
What’s Next: The Road to the Fiesta Bowl
The winner of this Cotton Bowl showdown will punch their ticket to the CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, set for Jan. 8. That’s where the national title dream gets even more real.
Here’s how the rest of the College Football Playoff is shaping up:
**Quarterfinals (Dec. 31-Jan.
1):**
- **Miami vs.
Ohio State** | Cotton Bowl | 7:30 p.m. Wed, Dec.
31 | ESPN
- **Oregon vs.
Texas Tech** | Orange Bowl | 12 p.m. Thurs, Jan.
1 | ESPN
- **Alabama vs.
Indiana** | Rose Bowl | 4 p.m. Thurs, Jan.
1 | ESPN
- **Ole Miss vs.
Georgia** | Sugar Bowl | 8 p.m. Thurs, Jan.
1 | ESPN
Semifinals (Jan. 8-9):
- Fiesta Bowl | 7:30 p.m. Thurs, Jan.
8 | ESPN
- Peach Bowl | 7:30 p.m.
Fri, Jan. 9 | ESPN
CFP National Championship:
- **7:30 p.m.
Mon, Jan. 19** | ESPN | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Final Thoughts
Ohio State enters the Cotton Bowl with a legacy to uphold and a path to another title run. Miami comes in with something to prove and the kind of defensive edge that can make a difference in a playoff setting. It’s a classic power vs. underdog matchup, but with both teams carrying serious postseason pedigree, don’t expect anyone to back down.
This one’s got all the ingredients: history, high stakes, and a national semifinal berth on the line. Buckle up.