Moen's Watch Party! | Cotton Bowl | #2 Ohio State v. #10 Miami!

The Rematch: #2 Ohio State vs. #10 Miami (CFP Quarterfinal) The Stakes & Atmosphere Decades of bitterness and "what-ifs" collide tonight at AT&T Stadium as the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1) take on the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes (11-2) in the Cotton Bowl. This isn't just a College Football Playoff Quarterfinal; it is the spiritual sequel to the controversial 2003 Fiesta Bowl that defined a generation of fans. Ohio State enters as the heavy favorite and the presumptive #2 seed despite a gritty 13-10 loss to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship, looking to prove their dominance. Miami, fresh off a suffocating 10-3 win over Texas A&M in the first round, is embracing the underdog role, looking to spoil the Buckeyes' title hopes just as they believe the refs spoiled theirs 23 years ago. The Matchup to Watch The game will likely be decided in the trenches, specifically when Ohio State has the ball. The Buckeyes' offense, led by quarterback Julian Sayin, has been efficient all year but faces a different kind of animal in Miami’s defensive front. The Hurricanes' pass rush, spearheaded by elite defensive end Rueben Bain Jr., wrecked the Aggies' game plan last week, racking up seven sacks. If Ohio State's offensive line can’t keep Sayin clean, Miami’s defense has proven it can drag games into the mud and win ugly. On the other side, Miami’s offense has struggled to find the end zone recently, and they will need to be much more creative to move the ball against a Buckeyes defense that has been lights-out for most of the 2025 season. The Prediction Vegas has the Buckeyes as 9.5-point favorites, reflecting the belief that Miami simply doesn't have the firepower to keep up if this turns into a track meet. The path to a Miami upset relies entirely on turnovers and a low-scoring, defensive slugfest similar to their first-round victory. However, Ohio State’s depth and motivation to bounce back from the Big Ten title game loss should give them the edge. Expect a tight, physical first half before the Buckeyes' talent advantage eventually wears down the Canes in the fourth quarter, booking Ohio State a ticket to the Semifinals.