Miami vs. Ohio State Predictions for College Football Playoff | Cotton Bowl Odds & Best Bets
In a rematch of the 2002 national championship, my Miami vs. Ohio State predictions for their College Football Playoff matchup in the Cotton Bowl expect the Buckeyes to win more decisively this time around.
Ohio State is a 9.5-point betting favorite for tonight's 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) Cotton Bowl on New Year's Eve from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in the first College Football Playoff quarterfinal of our college bowl game predictions.
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🏈 Miami vs. Ohio State predictions: College Football Playoff
See the latest college football odds and our college football picks for every bowl game.
| Predictions | Odds | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio State -9.5 | -109 via Caesars | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Carnell Tate anytime TD | +120 via bet365 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
💰 Miami vs. Ohio State best bet for Cotton Bowl
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Ohio State -9.5 (-109) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Hurricanes' offense is in for its toughest matchup of the season. Ohio State's defense has been historically dominant - it's ranked No. 1 by SP+, allows the fewest PPG in the country (8.2), and is littered with first-round talent.
Miami is coming off a game in which it scored just 10 points behind Carson Beck's sporadic play, and Ohio State has only allowed 10 touchdowns in 13 games.
And the Buckeyes' speed on offense should eventually wear out the Hurricanes' defense, which had to carry its offense in a first-round win over Texas A&M.
Score prediction: Ohio State 24, Miami 13
🙌 Best Miami vs. Ohio State touchdown pick: Cotton Bowl
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Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State: Anytime TD (+120) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Though I don't expect a ton of points in the Cotton Bowl, Ohio State's star receivers are poised to take the top off Miami's defense at some point, especially with how accurate Julian Sayin is downfield.
With the Hurricanes likely to be more focused on stopping All-American Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate is bound to see single coverage and make the Hurricanes pay.
Tate, a potential top 10 pick, is arguably the best big-play receiver in college football. He's one of only two players in the Power Four who ranks top 10 in yards per route run (3.36) and has a better than 70% contested catch rate (85.7%).
That ability to separate and win 50/50 balls is a huge reason Tate has scored in eight of his 10 games this season, including in four straight.
📝 Top NFL draft prospects for Cotton Bowl
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| Player | Position | Key stats | NFL draft grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arvell Reese, Ohio State | LB/EDGE | 10 TFLs, 6.5 sacks, 25 pressures | Top 10 |
| Caleb Downs, Ohio State | SAF | 60 tackles, 5 TFLs, 2 INTs | Top 10 |
| Carnell Tate, Ohio State | WR | Top 10 in the country in yards per route run (3.35) | Top 10 |
| Sonny Styles, Ohio State | LB | 32 run stops, 0 missed tackles | Round 1 |
| Francis Mauigoa, Miami | OL | 2 sacks, 10 pressures allowed | Round 1 |
| Kayden McDonald, Ohio State | IDL | Top 10 in the country in run stop rate (13.6%) | Round 1 |
| Rueben Bain Jr., Miami | DL | 3rd-most pressures in the country (66) | Round 1 |
| Akheem Mesidor, Miami | EDGE | 9th-most pressures in the country (55) | Round 3-4 |
| Keionte Scott, Miami | CB | 13 TFLs, 5 sacks, 5 PBUs | Round 3-4 |
| Carson Beck, Miami | QB | Top 5 in the country in adjusted completion rate (80.9%) | Round 3-4 |
📊 Live Miami vs. Ohio State odds: Cotton Bowl
Miami vs. Ohio State opening odds
- Moneyline: Miami +290 | Ohio State -370
- Spread: Miami +10 (-115) | Ohio State -10 (-110)
- Over/Under: Over 42 (-110) | Under 42 (-110)
📈 Miami vs. Ohio State betting trends
| Miami | Statistic | Ohio State |
|---|---|---|
| 11-2 | W-L record | 12-1 |
| 8-5 | ATS record | 10-2-1 |
| 5-8 | O/U record | 4-9 |
| 6.3 | Yards per play | 6.8 |
| 4.5 | Yards allowed per play | 3.9 |
| +0.9 | Turnover margin | +0.4 |
| 5-0 | Last 5 games | 4-1 |
| W, 10-3 vs. Texas A&M | Previous result | L, 13-10 vs. Indiana |
📺 How to watch Miami vs. Ohio State: College Football Playoff
- Date: Wednesday, Dec. 31
- Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
- TV: ESPN
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