Some time has passed since Ohio State found itself on the wrong side of the scoreboard in the Big Ten championship game. As much as that loss stung, of the three goals the football team has, a conference championship is the one fans can live without.

The Buckeyes have moved on to the College Football Playoff and a game with the Miami Hurricanes. Miami moved on after a 10-3 opening-round win over Texas A&M. The reward? A date with No. 2 Ohio State in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.

Of course, the Hurricanes and Buckeyes have a history in games that mean something. Miami fans have been crying foul for 20-plus years after a pass interference call in 2002 allowed Ohio State to win its first national championship in more than three decades. Buckeye fans will tell you it was the right call … and it was.

The U wants revenge. Ohio State wants back-to-back titles. It’s the Buckeyes vs. the ‘Canes: time to get ready for the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

Ohio State vs. Miami Records and Broadcast Information

Records

Ohio State (12-1), Miami (11-2)

Broadcast Information

Date: Wednesday, Dec. 31

Gametime: 7:30 p.m. ET

Network: ESPN

Venue: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas), Capacity: 80,000

All-Time Series: Series tied at 2

Last Meeting: Miami defeated Ohio State 24-6 in 2011

Ohio State potential game plan for victory vs. Miami

The Ohio State football team finds itself in familiar territory. The Buckeyes are back in the College Football Playoff looking to repeat as national champions. Standing in the way: the Miami Hurricanes. While Miami may have two losses this season, this is a team loaded with talent. Several players who now reside in South Florida were originally committed to OSU, including running back Mark Fletcher and defensive lineman Justin Scott.

This will be the second game in a row where Ohio State will face a top-tier defense, most notably on the defensive line. Both Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr. are a menace to opposing backfields. The duo has combined for 16 sacks and five forced fumbles. The Buckeye offensive line will need to protect Julian Sayin better than it did against Indiana in the Big Ten championship game. In that game, Sayin was sacked five times, which was nearly as many as the 12 previous games combined.

The Hurricanes love to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Miami has 41 sacks on the season, seven of which came against Texas A&M in the CFP first round. Rueben Bain brought down Marcell Reed three times by himself. Ohio State has the best skill players in the country, but it’s hard to get the ball to playmakers from your backside.

There are ways to neutralize a strong pass rush by dialing up screen passes, quick slants and draw plays. Ryan Day has said he will be take over play-calling duties, so we can expect to see more creativity to counterattack the aggressive style of Miami. If not, it’ll be a long day for the Buckeye offense.

Defensively, Ohio State is a force to be reckoned with. The Hurricanes have excellent players at the skill positions, but the team seems to lose focus from time to time. Especially quarterback Carson Beck. The Georgia transfer has thrown for more than 3,000 yards and 26 touchdowns, but he’s also thrown 10 interceptions.

Pressure on Beck is a must. When Beck has been made to feel uncomfortable in the pocket, he is much more prone to mistakes. According to Pro Football Focus, when Beck is pressured, he is ranked 112th in the nation. When he is not blitzed and allowed to sit in a clean pocket, he is the 18th-ranked quarterback. Simply put, Beck can carve up a defense if he has time to survey the field, but speed him up and he is much more likely to make mistakes.

Mario Cristobal will look for ways to get the ball in the hands of his dynamic freshman Malachi Toney. The youngster leads Miami with 89 receptions, nearly 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns. Again, pressure Beck and he’ll have a hard time getting Toney the ball.

The bottom line is that both defenses are spectacular. It’s a tale as old as time: Whoever can win the line of scrimmage will win the game.

Ohio State key offensive player vs. Miami

Phillip Daniels – Offensive Line

We really could put the entire offensive line here, but we decided to go with just one. After being a solid contributor at right tackle all season, Phillip Daniels struggled against the Indiana pass rush in the Big Ten championship game. Part of that may have been that the Hoosiers have smaller, quicker edge rushers. Daniels has the opportunity to redeem himself and will need to allow Julian Saying time to throw the ball or the Buckeyes will be in a world of hurt.

Ohio State key defensive player vs. Miami

Caden Curry – Defensive End

As we stated earlier, Carson Beck is prone to making mistakes when under pressure. Caden Curry has been a sack master this season, getting to opposing quarterbacks 11 times. Miami has been good at protecting Beck, giving up only 11 sacks the entire season. Curry doesn’t need to get a sack on every play, but provide enough pressure to keep Beck on his heels. If he can do that, the defense should be able to hold the Hurricane offense in check.

Ohio State vs. Miami prediction

At first glance, this game seems to favor the Scarlet and Gray somewhat heavily. On paper, OSU looks like the superior team, but that wouldn’t be the full story. Both Miami and Ohio State boast two of the best defenses in the country. Both teams are littered with NFL talent. Both teams have electric playmakers on offense. So what will this game come down to?

The game will most likely be a slog, much like the Buckeyes’ game against Indiana in the Big Ten championship game. And in a game of this magnitude, it is true once again, whoever can win in the trenches will come out on top when the clock strikes zero. In a game where both teams are somewhat evenly matched, Ohio State has a slight advantage on both sides of the ball. While the Miami defense may be able to hold the Buckeye offense in check for most of the night, the skill positions are just too good, especially with a laser-focused Ryan Day taking over the play-calling duties. It’s close going into halftime, but Ohio State pulls away in the second half to advance to the College Football Playoff Semifinals.

Final score prediction | Ohio State 24, Miami 13

Ohio State vs. Miami betting odds

Ohio State -9.5

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