Ohio State’s loss to Indiana in the Big Ten championship game prevented the Buckeyes from being the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.

Instead, OSU is the No. 2 seed, which earned the Buckeyes a bye in the first round. Now that first-round games are finished, the Buckeyes know they will face Miami.

Below are predictions for the Buckeyes’ game.

Buy Ohio State football tickets

Ohio State vs. Miami predictions

Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State 24, Miami 10: Ohio State will need to clean up any lingering protection issues from the Big Ten championship game as Miami collapsed the pocket on Texas A&M during its first-round win, resulting in seven sacks of quarterback Marcel Reed. But even if the Buckeyes continue to spring a few leaks as it attempts to keep the pocket clean for Julian Sayin, the Hurricanes aren’t dynamic enough on offense to punish them for it. They did not score a touchdown until the final minutes against the Aggies as they finished with a season-low 10 points.  

Rob Oller, Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State 21, Miami 13: It’s all about defense. The Hurricanes’ 11th-ranked defense held Texas A&M’s 20th-ranked offense to three points on the road in a first-round win, and the Canes return to the Lone Star State Dec. 31 to see what the Buckeyes can do against that same “D.” The U’s problem won’t be containing OSU’s offense, which managed just 10 points against Indiana in the Big Ten Championship game. The issue for Miami will be Ohio State’s No. 1 defense. The Buckeyes will have their hands full with Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney, but otherwise will clamp down enough to send OSU to the semifinal in Arizona.

Brianna Mac Kay, Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State 14, Miami 7: It took Miami until the final two minutes of its first-round matchup against Texas A&M to score a touchdown and secure a spot in the Cotton Bowl. The Hurricanes will have an even smaller margin of error going against Ohio State’s defense, which is the top-ranked in the country. If Miami repeats its slow start offensively, the Buckeyes should be able to capitalize, whether it is the defense turning an error into a touchdown or the offense finding a moment to break through the Hurricanes’ top-10 ranked defense.

Dan Aulbach, Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State 24, Miami 14. Miami had an impressive game-winning drive and red-zone stand against Texas A&M in the first round of the playoff. They also averaged 6.3 yards per carry and forced three turnovers against the Aggies, proving they can hang with opponents outside the ACC and Notre Dame. Ohio State can get over its red-zone and third-down struggles, flexing its muscle on defense against Miami quarterback Carson Beck to advance to the semifinals.

Matt Glenesk, USA TODAY: Ohio State 35, Miami 13: Hey, both these teams scored 10 points in their last game! There will be more points in this one… mainly from the Buckeyes. I’m just not convinced by Carson Beck (or Mario Cristobal). Miami’s D-line is nasty good, but I’m putting my faith in Julian Sayin being able to get playmakers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate the rock plenty here.

Zac Al-Khateeb, USA TODAY Network: Ohio State 34, Miami 20: This is a matchup that features some of the best receiver talent in the nation in Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate and Miami’s Malachi Toney. Expect each to make some splash plays in the early running before the Buckeyes’ superior talent eventually helps them pull away in the second half.

Craig Meyer, USA TODAY Network: Ohio State 24, Miami 13: The slew of offensive options around Julian Sayin should allow Ohio State to negate Miami’s ferocious pass rush a bit with a quick-strike passing offense. Its defense, arguably the best unit on either side of the ball in the country, should cause headaches for Carson Beck. Unlike the last time these two programs played in a game with national championship implications, the Buckeyes won’t even need a phantom pass interference call. 

Ohio State vs. Miami score predictionsJoey Kaufman: Ohio State 24, Miami 10Rob Oller: Ohio State 21, Miami 13.Brianna Mac Kay: Ohio State 14, Miami 7.Dan Aulbach: Ohio State 24, Miami 14.When does Ohio State play Miami in College Football Playoff?

The Buckeyes will face the Miami Hurricanes on Dec. 31 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Ohio State vs. Miami tickets

You can find College Football Playoff tickets for Ohio State vs. Miami on StubHub.

College Football Playoff bracket 2025-26 dates

First round Dec. 19: No. 9 Alabama 34, No. 8 Oklahoma 24Dec. 20:No. 10 Miami (Fla.) 10, No. 7 Texas A&M 3No. 6 Ole Miss 41, No. 11 Tulane, 10No. 5 Oregon 51, No. 12 James Madison 34

Quarterfinals Dec. 31:No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Miami (Fla.) | Cotton Bowl | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNJan. 1:No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Oregon | Orange Bowl | Noon | ESPN No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 9 Alabama | Rose Bowl | 4 p.m. | ESPN No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Ole Miss | Sugar Bowl | 8 p.m. | ESPN

Semifinals:  Jan. 8Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, Ariz.) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNJan. 9Peach Bowl (Atlanta) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN

National championship:  Jan. 19:Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN