For at least one more round, Miami gets to see its national championship dreams live on.
Behind 172 rushing yards from Mark Fletcher, the Hurricanes defeated the Aggies 10-3 on Saturday, Dec. 20 at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas in the first round of the College Football Playoff, sending No. 10 Miami to the quarterfinals.
The game was a defensive slugfest for much of the afternoon, with four missed field goals between the teams before Malachi Toney’s 11-yard touchdown catch with 1:49 remaining breaking the tie. The playoff victory was the first in Miami history.
What awaits Miami after its triumph? What team stands in its way to the semifinals?
Here’s a quick look at what you need to know for who the Hurricanes play next in the College Football Playoff:
Who does Miami football play next in CFP?
After its first-round win, Miami will now face No. 2 seed Ohio State in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes are the reigning national champions and look to have a team capable of replicating the feat this season, going 12-1 in the regular season. Their lone loss was a 13-10 setback to No. 1 Indiana in the Big Ten championship game. Coach Ryan Day’s team had won each its previous 11 games by at least 18 points.
Ohio State is one of the most complete teams in the country, with an explosive offense and a stifling defense. Quarterback Julian Sayin, a Heisman Trophy finalist, threw for 3,323 yards and completed an FBS-leading 78.4% of his passes while throwing to arguably the most talented duo of receivers in the country in Jeremiah Smith (1,086 yards, 11 touchdowns) and Carnell Tate (838 yards, nine touchdowns). The Buckeyes’ defense, meanwhile, has been superb under first-year coordinator Matt Patricia, allowing only 8.2 points per game, the best mark among FBS teams.
Ohio State football: What to know on Buckeyes vs Miami in CFP quarterfinals
Here are three things to know about Ohio State:
Stat leaders:
- Leading passer: QB Julian Sayin, 3,323 yards with 31 touchdowns and six interceptions, 78.4% completion percentage
- Leading rusher: RB Bo Jackson, 1,035 rushing yards, 6.2 yards per carry, five rushing touchdowns
- Leading receiver: WR Jeremiah Smith, 1,086 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns on 80 receptions
- Top defenders: S Caleb Downs, 60 total tackles, two interceptions, one sack and one pass break-up; LB Sonny Styles, 81 tackles, one interception, 0.5 sacks; LB Arvell Reese, 62 tackles, 6.5 sacks; DE Caden Curry, 60 tackles, 11 sacks
How they got here:
- Schedule: 12-1 overall, 9-0 in Big Ten regular-season play
- Big wins: vs. Texas, at Illinois, at Michigan, vs. Penn State and at Washington
Playoff history:
- Have they been here before? Yes. The Buckeyes have been a playoff mainstay ever since the four-team model debuted during the 2014 season. Ohio State is making its seventh playoff appearance in 12 years, which included national championships in the 2014 and 2024 seasons.
Ohio State vs Miami in CFP quarterfinals time, date, schedule
- Date: Wednesday, Dec. 31
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
- TV channel: ESPN
- Streaming option: ESPN app | Fubo (free trial)
Ohio State and Miami will meet in the Cotton Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 31, at 7:30 p.m. ET inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the home stadium of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. ESPN will broadcast the game. Streaming options include the ESPN app, which requires a valid cable login to access, and Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to new subscribers.
