Miami Stuns Defending Champion Ohio State in Cotton Bowl Quarterfinal.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Miami delivered one of the biggest surprises of the College Football Playoff, knocking off defending national champion Ohio State 24–14 in the Cotton Bowl quarterfinal on Wednesday night. The turning point came early when defensive back Keionte Scott intercepted a screen pass from Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin and raced 72 yards for a touchdown. Scott glanced toward the Miami sideline during the return and saw his teammates — along with Hurricanes legends Michael Irvin and Jimmy Johnson — erupt in celebration as Miami jumped to a 14–0 lead. Miami quarterback Carson Beck added a steady performance, completing 19 of 26 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown. His 9-yard scoring throw to running back Mark Fletcher Jr. capped a stretch of 13 consecutive completions, setting a Cotton Bowl record. Fletcher finished with 90 rushing yards on 19 carries and was named the game’s offensive MVP. The Hurricanes, ranked 10th and entering the playoff as an at-large team, improved to 12–2 and advanced to the CFP semifinals. Miami has now won six straight games since a November overtime loss to SMU and is just one victory away from playing for a national championship in its home stadium. The program has not won a national title since 2001. Head coach Mario Cristobal, a former Miami player during the program’s championship years, emphasized the team’s resilience and unselfish mindset after the win. He credited the players for responding to adversity throughout the season and embracing the challenge of the expanded playoff format.

Ohio State, the No. 2 seed and a 9½-point favorite, fell to 12–2 and failed to become the first program to repeat as national champions.

The Buckeyes were led offensively by All-America receiver Jeremiah Smith, who caught seven passes for 157 yards and scored on a fourth-down touchdown in the fourth quarter. Sayin finished with 287 passing yards but was intercepted twice and sacked five times.

Miami’s defense limited Ohio State to its highest point total allowed all season but controlled the game with timely plays. A 49-yard field goal by Carter Davis and a late 5-yard touchdown run by ChaMar Brown sealed the upset.

Miami will next play in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal on Jan. 8 against the winner of the Sugar Bowl matchup between Georgia and Ole Miss, while Ohio State will turn its attention to the 2026 season opener against Ball State.