Overview
- Ohio State, the No. 2 seed, meets No. 10 Miami in the CFP quarterfinal at AT&T Stadium on Dec. 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
- Ryan Day confirmed he will make the final offensive calls and control the game plan, with Brian Hartline concentrating on coaching receivers.
- Miami reached the Cotton Bowl by upsetting Texas A&M 10–3, forcing three turnovers and recording seven sacks behind a disruptive front led by Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor.
- Ohio State brings the nation’s No. 1 scoring and total defense, though pass protection and critical-down execution remain focal fixes after the Big Ten title loss to Indiana.
- Models and sportsbooks lean to the Buckeyes, with ESPN’s predictor near 70.5% for Ohio State and betting lines around a 9.5-point spread.