Ohio State and Miami deliver an exciting College Football Playoff game

Miami Hurricanes Upset Ohio State in Cotton Bowl

Recently, the Miami Hurricanes faced skepticism about their prospects in the College Football Playoff. However, on Wednesday night, they turned the doubters into believers with a surprising 24-14 win over the reigning national champion Ohio State Buckeyes at the Cotton Bowl Classic. Interestingly, this marks the first time a double-digit seed has advanced this far.

In the final stretch, Miami wouldn’t let up. Mark Fletcher Jr. and Chalmar Brown pushed hard to keep the momentum going. With under two minutes left, Carson Beck connected with wide receiver CJ Daniels for a crucial first down.

Brown ultimately found the end zone with just 55 seconds remaining, sealing the game after Ohio State’s quarterback Julian Sane threw an interception on the last drive.

The game was intense, and it seemed like both teams were going for broke with aggressive hits. Miami made a significant breakthrough in the second quarter, where Beck executed a short pass to Fletcher pretending it was a run. This play resulted in a touchdown, giving Miami an early edge at 7-0.

On the subsequent drive, Keonte Scott intercepted a pass from Thain and returned it for a touchdown. Ohio State’s attempt to score before halftime fell flat when they missed a field goal, and Miami went into the locker room with a comfortable 14-0 lead.

But Ohio State was not out of the game yet.

Coming back from halftime, Ohio State started strong with an 11-play, 82-yard drive that absorbed nearly seven minutes, concluding with a touchdown from Bo Jackson. They quickly closed the gap, though Miami responded with a field goal that brought the score to 17-7.

While Ohio State struggled to keep their rhythm and faced turnovers, Beck showcased his versatility. He not only contributed as a passer — completing 19 of 26 attempts for 138 yards and a touchdown — but also scrambled for some vital yardage.

Fletcher had a solid night, rushing for 90 yards on 19 carries, despite an early turnover. Brown emerged as a game-changer, scoring the crucial touchdown that helped lift the Hurricanes.

This loss for Ohio State marked the first time they conceded over 20 points in a game since clinching the national championship against Notre Dame earlier in the year. The defense applied pressure, forcing Sane into two interceptions and sacking him five times throughout the game.