Ohio State loses to Miami as first-round bye teams drop to 0–5 in College Football Playoff

Jeremiah Smith and the Ohio State Buckeyes will not become the school’s first back-to-back national champions, and the trend of first-round bye teams struggling in the College Football Playoff continues. No. 10 Miami defeated No. 3 Ohio State 24–14 on Wednesday night in the Cotton Bowl quarterfinal, extending the winless streak for bye teams in the playoff.

According to Yahoo, Georgia remains the only team in recent years to achieve the feat, becoming the first program since Alabama in 2011 and 2012 to win back-to-back national titles with championships in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Ohio State entered the playoff as the favorite to join Georgia and Alabama as the only teams to repeat as national champions in the 2000s, but that run ended with their defeat.



Ohio State entered the game as the defending national champion, but fell behind early and could not fully recover. The Buckeyes trailed 14–0 at halftime after a sluggish first half that included costly turnovers and missed opportunities. Miami took advantage, playing steady defense and capitalizing on mistakes.


The Buckeyes showed life in the second half. Early in the fourth quarter, Ohio State pulled within three points at 17–14 when All-America wide receiver Jeremiah Smith caught a 14-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-2. Smith had a standout performance, finishing with 157 receiving yards on seven catches. His biggest play was a 59-yard reception in the first half, but it did not result in points.


Despite Smith’s strong effort, Ohio State could not complete the comeback. Miami sealed the game late when Keionte Scott returned Julian Sayin’s interception 72 yards for a touchdown, giving the Hurricanes a 14-point cushion. Sayin threw another interception in the final minute, ending any remaining hope for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State finished the season 12–2 after starting 12–0. Their only other loss came in the Big Ten championship game, a 13–10 defeat to top-ranked Indiana. Miami improved to 12–2 and continued the surprising trend of first-round bye teams falling in the playoff, which now stands at 0–5.