Miami vs. Ohio State Prediction, Odds and Key Player to Watch for College Football Playoff Quarterfinal

Iain MacMillan | 1 Hour Ago

Ohio State is favored against Miami in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinals. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It feels like it's been weeks since we were able to watch some College Football Playoff action, but it's finally set to continue on Wednesday night when the Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Miami Hurricanes in the first game of the quarterfinals.

The Buckeyes are defending national champions but entered the playoff as the No. 2 seed after losing in the Big Ten Championship to Indiana. Can they bounce back with an impressive win against Miami? Let's find out what the oddsmakers think.

Miami vs. Ohio State Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

• Miami +9.5 (-110)
• Ohio State -9.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Miami +285
• Ohio State -355

Total

• OVER 41.5 (-110)
• UNDER 41.5 (-110)

Miami vs. Ohio State How to Watch

• Date: Wednesday, December 31
• Game Time: 7:30 pm ET
• Venue: AT&T Stadium
• How to Watch (TV): ESPN
• Miami Record: 11-2
• Ohio State Record: 12-1

Miami vs. Ohio State Betting Trends

• The UNDER is 7-3 in Miami's last 10 games
• Miami is 0-6 ATS in its last six games vs. Big Ten opponents
• Ohio State is 14-2-1 ATS in its last 17 games
• The UNDER is 4-1 in Ohio State's last five games

Miami vs. Ohio State Key Player to Watch

• Julian Sayin, QB - Ohio State Buckeyes

Julian Sayin fell short when it came to winning the Heisman Trophy, but he still had an unbelievable season for Ohio State. He completed 78.4% of passes for 3,323 yards, 31 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. If the Buckeyes successfully defend their National Championship, Sayin is going to play a significant role in these next few games.

Miami vs. Ohio State Prediction and Pick

Despite losing to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship, there's a strong argument to be made that Ohio State is the best team in the country, and there are plenty of metrics to back that claim up. For example, the Buckeyes lead the nation in adjusted EPA per play, and they rank second in net success rate. Miami ranks just 11th and eighth in those two categories.

Miami has a great defense, but I don't trust the Hurricanes' offense against the elite Ohio State defense. The Hurricanes' offense ranks just 31st in the country in adjusted EPA per play. They managed to score just 10 points against Texas A&M in the first round, and now they have an even tougher defense to face this week.

I'll lay the points on Ohio State in the quarterfinals.

Pick: Ohio State -9.5 (-110) via FanDuel

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