At the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas, the Miami Hurricanes delivered a stunning 24-14 victory over the defending national champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes, during the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Miami's cornerback Keionte Scott set the tone early in the game with an electrifying 72-yard interception return, intercepting a screen pass from Ohio State's Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin and running untouched for a touchdown. Scott's return greatly energized his team and the sidelines.
Miami, ranked tenth and seeded number 10 in the CFP, entered the tournament as an at-large bid after not competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship. Despite this, they have now notched two consecutive playoff victories, advancing to the national semifinals. In the upcoming semifinal game on January 8, Miami will face the winner of the Sugar Bowl between the No. 3 seed Georgia and No. 6 seed Ole Miss, with the semifinal slated at the Fiesta Bowl.
The victory offers Miami the opportunity to compete for a national championship for the first time since their 2001 title. Coach Mario Cristobal, in his fourth year leading the Hurricanes and a former offensive tackle on Miami's championship teams in 1989 and 1991, emphasized the team effort over personal accolades, stating that his role is to create opportunities for the current roster to realize their potential.
Notable figures from Miami's storied past were present and visibly enthusiastic during the game. Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin, a member of Miami's 1987 championship team, celebrated along the sidelines as Scott scored. Also present was the legendary coach Jimmy Johnson, who led Miami to national titles before his successful NFL coaching career.
Ohio State, ranked third in the nation and seeded second in the CFP, entered as a 9 1/2 point favorite but were unable to defend their title. Their previous game was a 13-10 loss to No. 1 Indiana in the Big Ten championship game on December 6. Despite a strong start, the Buckeyes fell short in the quarterfinal round, continuing a trend among teams receiving a first-round bye in the inaugural 12-team playoff format.
Miami quarterback Carson Beck, who has experience with Georgia's national titles, completed 19 of 26 passes for 138 yards. One highlight included a quick touchdown pass to running back Mark Fletcher Jr., who also earned offensive MVP honors with 19 carries for 90 yards. Notably, Beck set a Cotton Bowl record with 13 consecutive completed passes during the game.
Ohio State's Julian Sayin completed 22 of 35 passes for 287 yards but was intercepted twice and sacked five times. The Buckeyes struggled offensively against a strong Miami defense. AP All-America receiver Jeremiah Smith, originally from Miami, caught seven passes for 157 yards and scored a 14-yard touchdown on a crucial fourth down late in the game. Miami's special teams also contributed with a 49-yard field goal by Carter Davis and a late 5-yard touchdown run by ChaMar Brown to close out the scoring.
Throughout the game, Miami's defense forced turnovers and contained Ohio State's offense. Safety Caleb Downs, an All-America selection, made history by becoming the first player to force two fumbles in a CFP game. Despite the Buckeyes opening the second half with a touchdown, they were held scoreless in all other quarters.
Miami concludes the season with an impressive six-game winning streak since an overtime loss at SMU earlier in November. Their playoff journey began with a 10-3 victory over No. 7 Texas A&M in the first round, marking their CFP debut in Texas.
In contrast, Ohio State is set to prepare for the next season opener at home against Ball State on September 5, 2026, concluding a campaign curtailed prematurely by the playoff loss.