The #2 Ohio State Buckeyes have their date for the Cotton Bowl Classic on New Year's Eve.
The No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes finally have their second-round matchup, as they are now set to take on the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes. In Round One, the Hurricanes defeated the Texas A&M Aggies in a nasty, physical old-school game in College Station.
Miami's season certainly had its ups and downs. In Week 1 of the 2025 college football season, they welcomed the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to the Orange Bowl, and they snuck the Irish with a miraculous touchdown catch that proved to be the difference.'
The Hurricanes were flying high until mid-October when they went to Louisville, KY, and were upset by the Louisville Cardinals. Usually, one loss can be survived, but then the 'Canes went over to Texas to take on the SMU Mustangs, and they again were upset, this time in overtime.
The second loss of the year was certainly a death wish for Miami, but they kept their hopes alive for the rest of the season. They stacked four straight dominant wins and found themselves one slot below the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for the final spot in the College Football Playoff.
On the final selection day, the committee made the correct move and jumped the Hurricanes over the Fighting Irish for the final at-large spot in the tournament.
The Canes are led by veteran quarterback Carson Beck, who has been around the block but has chased sustained success his entire career. His career at Georgia was up and down, with success in the regular season but failures in the playoffs. He was 24-3 as the starter, with those three losses costing him a chance at a National Championship.
On the year, Beck has been solid, finishing with 3,072 yards on nearly 75 percent completion for 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Unfortunately for the veteran, he struggled against the tough defense of A&M.
The Cotton Bowl Classic Is Set: Live Reaction As Ohio State Gets its Round 2 Opponent
The Ohio State Buckeyes finally get their second-round opponent for the Cotton Bowl Classic in Dallas on New Year's Day. The Buckeyes were off and watched th...
The star of the Hurricanes' offense is freshman wide receiver Malachi Toney. The newest member of Miami's squad is a legit speedster at just 18 years old. He isn't the tallest player the Buckeyes have ever faced, but he is elite with the ball in his hand, no matter how it gets there. He has 84 catches for 970 yards and seven touchdowns receiving.
From the backfield, the Hurricanes lean on Junior Mark Fletcher Jr., who is their bell cow back. He has 685 yards on 142 carries and 10 touchdowns.
This will be just the fifth matchup between these two legendary programs. The last time that they played was in 2011 down in Miami, where the 'Canes got the best of the Buckeyes. This game will remind almost every fan of the epic 2003 National Championship Game.
The Buckeyes and the Hurricanes are matching up for the right to go back to the Fiesta Bowl for a right to go to the National Championship.