Ohio State opens as huge betting favorite against Miami in CFP quarterfinal
By David Wasson
Published:
The Miami Hurricanes edged the Texas A&M Aggies 10-3 in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday, becoming the second higher-seeded road team to advance to the CFP quarterfinals in 2025.
Next up for the No. 10 seed Hurricanes: No. 2 seed Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Eve (7:30 pm ET, ESPN). The Buckeyes opened as a 9.5-point favorite at DraftKings, with the total set at 42.5 points.
Miami (11-2) earned its gritty road victory by forcing 3 Texas A&M turnovers and getting a monster rushing effort from Mark Fletcher Jr. – who gained a career-high 172 yards on 17 carries. Hurricanes defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald picked off Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed twice, including a game-sealing interception in the end zone as Texas A&M was threatening to tie the game with less than 30 seconds remaining.
The Hurricanes and Buckeyes have played 4 times in history, with each team earning 2 victories. The most controversial game was in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, as Ohio State earned a 31-24 double-overtime victory over Miami to earn the BCS National Championship and snap the Canes’ 34-game winning streak.
Miami and Ohio State split a home-and-home series in 2011-12, with the Buckeyes winning the 2010 game 36-24 in Columbus and the Hurricanes earning a 24-6 win in Coral Gables in 2011.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
