Miami pulled off a stunning 24–14 upset over defending national champion Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, earning a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Miami pulled off a stunning upset of the College Football Playoff, by beating the reigning national champions Ohio State 24–14 on Wednesday night in the CFP quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas.
The No. 10 seed Hurricanes played disciplined defense, and took care of the ball, also made the most of their chances to knock out the No. 2 seed Buckeyes and to punch their ticket to the CFP semifinals. With the victory, Miami improved to 12–2 on the season and moved one step closer to its first national championship appearance since 2001.
Everything changed early in the first half when Miami defensive supported Keionte Scott delivered a play that changed the feel of the game. Scott jumped a quick screen pass from Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin and returned the interception 72 yards for a touchdown, giving the Hurricanes a commanding 14–0 lead with 11:49 left in the second quarter. It was Scott’s second pick-six of the season and set the Miami’s defense never let up from there.
The interception return came just 1:42 after Miami quarterback Carson Beck found Mark Fletcher Jr. for a 9-yard touchdown pass out of the backfield. The back-to-back scores caught Ohio State off guard and quieted much of the stadium that had highly favored the defending champions.
And Beck, a veteran quarterback who already won national titles at Georgia, looked comfortable and in control from start to finish. He completed 19 of 26 passes for 138 yards and a one touchdown, setting a Cotton Bowl record with 13 consecutive completions. Fletcher played a major role as well, rushing 19 times for 90 yards while also contributing as a receiver.
Miami pushed its lead in the third quarter after Carter Davis connecting on a 49-yard field goal, thereby making it 17–7. Ohio State replied with a rushing touchdown by Bo Jackson to cut the deficit, but the Buckeyes did not succeed in sustaining offensive force against Miami’s energetic defense.
Freshman quarterback Julian Sayin, beginning in place of last season’s starter Will Howard, finished 22 of 35 for 287 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He faced relentless pressure throughout the game and was brought down for five sacks. Despite the struggles, All-America receiver Jeremiah Smith had an outstanding performance, catching seven passes for 157 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown on fourth down in the fourth quarter.
The score briefly offers Ohio State hope, trimming the margin to 17–14. nonetheless, Miami answered right back and put the game away in the final minute after ChaMar Brown rushed for a 5-yard touchdown. The Hurricanes’ 24 points set the most Ohio State allowed all season.
Ohio State started the game as a 9½-point favorite and was coming off as a long layoff after losing his Big Ten Championship Game to Indiana on Dec. 6. Despite being a first-round bye, the Buckeyes still became another team to fall after going directly into the quarterfinals in the 12-team playoff format.
The loss is what ended Ohio State’s chance to become the first team in history to win back-to-back national championships. Meanwhile safety Caleb Downs made history by becoming the first player to force two fumbles in a CFP game, it was not enough to overcome Miami’s balanced effort.
For Miami’s head coach Mario Cristobal, now in his fourth season, the win was a big moment. The Hurricanes have now won six straight games since an overtime loss at SMU on Nov. 1 and are getting hot at exactly the right moment.
Miami will face either No. 3 Georgia or the No. 6 seed Ole Miss in the CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on January 8. With one more win, the Hurricanes would earn a chance to play for the national championship in their home stadium an opportunity that would mean a lot to the program in over two decades.
