Why Buckeye Fans Should Be Rooting for Miami in the Cotton Bowl Picture
As the Ohio State Buckeyes await their Cotton Bowl Classic opponent, all eyes turn to Saturday’s first-round College Football Playoff matchup between Texas A&M and Miami. The winner of that game punches their ticket to Dallas, where they'll face a battle-tested Buckeye squad. But let’s be real - the location of that game matters, and if you’re an Ohio State fan, you’re probably hoping to see “The U” come out on top.
Here’s why.
The Texas Factor
Playing Texas A&M in Dallas? That’s not exactly neutral ground.
The Aggies are practically at home - and their fanbase travels like it. The 12th Man isn’t just a nickname; it’s a real, tangible advantage, especially when the stakes are this high.
Miami, on the other hand, doesn’t bring the same kind of in-state juice to a Texas venue. If you’re looking for the path of least resistance, it starts with avoiding a road game disguised as a bowl.
Two Teams, One Mirror
From a talent and performance standpoint, Texas A&M and Miami are built similarly in the areas that matter most this time of year - the trenches and under center. Both teams bring heat on defense and have quarterbacks who’ve shown flashes of brilliance... and stretches of real inconsistency.
Let’s start with the defensive lines. The Aggies lead the nation with 41 sacks - that’s not just impressive, that’s game-changing.
But Miami’s no slouch either, racking up 34 sacks of their own. Both units are led by future NFL talent, and both have the ability to wreck a game plan if they get rolling early.
At quarterback, it’s a tale of two roller coasters. Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed spent much of the season in the Heisman conversation, but the wheels have wobbled down the stretch. He’s thrown multiple picks in three of his last five games - not exactly the kind of trend you want heading into the postseason.
Miami’s Carson Beck had his Heisman hype early after leading wins over Notre Dame, South Florida, Florida, and Florida State. But in their two losses?
Six interceptions. When he's off, he’s way off.
So if the teams are this close in the key areas - and they are - then the edge comes down to intangibles. And again, location matters. A&M in Texas is a tougher out than Miami on a neutral field.
Ohio State’s Bigger Picture
Now, let’s not pretend either Miami or Texas A&M is a pushover. But let’s also not act like Ohio State hasn’t been handling teams of this caliber all season. If you’re comparing Miami and A&M to what OSU’s already faced, they’re in the same neighborhood as The Team Up North - strong, physical, talented, but not unbeatable.
The real jump in competition comes later. Indiana - yes, Indiana - beat the Buckeyes in the Big Ten title game, and Georgia looms as another potential obstacle. Those are the matchups that will truly test Ohio State’s ceiling.
Oregon and Texas Tech? They’re somewhere in between - not quite Georgia-level, but a step above the Hurricanes and Aggies. The way the bracket’s shaping up, OSU might not have to see either of them, which makes this Cotton Bowl opponent all the more important.
Bottom Line
If you’re Ohio State, you want the cleanest path possible. That means avoiding a de facto road game in Dallas.
That means hoping Miami takes care of business on Saturday. Because while the Buckeyes are built to handle either team, why make it harder than it has to be?
Root for “The U.” Not because they’re easier on paper - but because they won’t bring the 12th Man with them.