College football will crown a new national champion in 2026 after Ohio State’s bid to repeat was upended in Wednesday’s Cotton Bowl by the upstart Miami Hurricanes.
The Buckeyes clawed their way back from a 14-0 first-half deficit to cut the lead to 17-14 in the fourth quarter, but coach Mario Cristobal’s Hurricanes responded with a 10-play, 70-yard scoring drive to push their edge back to 10 points with just a minute to play.
The Buckeyes’ season effectively came to an end on the next possession when quarterback Julian Sayin was picked off by Hurricanes defensive back Jakobe Thomas. Miami would run out the clock to secure the 24-14 win to advance to the January 8 Fiesta Bowl with an eye towards the CFP championship on January 19 in Miami.
Weeks ago, some had questioned the College Football Playoff committee’s decision to pick No. 10 Miami over Notre Dame. Since then, the Hurricanes have beaten No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 2 Ohio State to advance to the CFP semifinal.
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Mark Fletcher Jr. of the Miami Hurricanes reacts after a first down against Ohio State