Ohio State faces unique scheduling challenge in pursuit of another national title

The Ohio State Buckeyes are enjoying a well-deserved bye week as the first-round matchups of the College Football Playoff take place. But the preparation can now begin in full with the knowledge that the Buckeyes will be taking on the Miami Hurricanes in the Cotton Bowl.

Miami won an ugly game over Texas A&M by a final score of 10-3. Miami's kicker missed three field goals on the day, but was bailed out by his defense late.

There are plenty of intriguing storylines surrounding this matchup, including the fact the teams are meeting in a postseason matchup for the first time since the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, where the Buckeyes emerged as national champions.

THE COTTON BOWL IS SET 🙌🌰

Who ya got in this one, @CanesFootball or @OhioStateFB? pic.twitter.com/kmhI2qxAew
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 20, 2025

Yet there may be one notable factor flying under the radar. That is the fact Ohio State and Miami are meeting on neutral grounds at the Cotton Bowl. As fans recall, the four teams who receive first-round byes in the CFP do not host a postseason home game.

This means the Buckeyes will show up in Dallas after several weeks off, while Miami will come into town fresh off an upset victory on the road against Texas A&M. Just look to 2024 when all four top seeds lost in the quarterfinals. The Buckeyes made a statement in the Rose Bowl as the No. 8 seed against the No. 1 seed Oregon Ducks. But OSU had shown up after an electric blowout victory in Columbus against Tennessee.

The fact this team won the national championship last season is a factor working in their favor. This group knows how to handle a long college football postseason and understand the atmosphere whether its at home or a neutral site. That type of experience is invaluable at the college level.

Another positive in the mind of Buckeyes fans is how bad the Miami offense looked in the win against A&M. Carson Beck managed to throw for a total of 103 yards, while Mark Fletcher Jr. saved the day with 172 rushing yards on a day when the kicker went 1/4 on field goals.

The 2024 quarterfinal upsets may end up being an anomaly as part of an ever-changing CFP format. But that trend is certainly noteworthy as the Buckeyes look to prove they can beat anyone, anywhere, at any time en route to back-to-back national championships.