Miami vs. Ohio State predictions & best bets for the CFP: Can Buckeyes cover big spread in Cotton Bowl?

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  1. Ohio State
  • Published: Dec. 31, 2025, 3:00 p.m.

Ohio State WR Carnell Tate moving aft nan drawback vs. Washington (2025)

Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate (17) runs pinch nan shot against nan Washington during nan 2nd half of an NCAA assemblage shot game, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, successful Seattle.AP Photo/John Froschauer

Ohio State is nan betting favourite to triumph nan nationalist championship, and connected Wednesday night, we’ll spot nan Buckeyes return nan section for nan first clip since their nonaccomplishment successful nan Big Ten Championship crippled against Indiana.

The Buckeyes are a 9.5-point favourite complete Miami, who defeated Texas A&M 10-3 successful a protect struggle successful nan first information of nan College Football Playoff. The Hurricanes person 2 victories complete teams that vanished classed successful nan apical 11. They went 5-0 against classed teams. Will nan inclination continue?

Miami vs. Ohio State predictions and champion bets

*Note: Odds are based connected nan champion worth our experts find arsenic of publication; cheque lines person to crippled clip to guarantee you get nan champion odds.

When looking astatine this game, nan first point that sticks retired is nan 2 elite protect units.

We cognize each astir nan Ohio State defense. Arvell Reese and Caleb Downs are projected to beryllium top-10 NFL draught picks, and Sonny Styles and Kayden McDonald are besides projected arsenic first-round picks.

Under protect coordinator Matt Patricia, nan portion is giving up 8.8 points per game. This is nan first clip since nan 2011 Alabama squad that we’ve seen a defense springiness up little than 10 points per crippled complete an full season. Only 33% of reddish area drives person ended successful touchdowns, which is again 1 of nan champion numbers successful caller history.

On nan different side, nan Miami defense gives up 13.8 points per game. The Hurricanes haven’t allowed complete 20 points successful regularisation successful 2 and a half months.

Both teams rank successful nan apical 7 successful points allowed per crippled and yards allowed per play. To make nan nether moreover much appealing, Ohio State ranks past successful nan state successful seconds per play. Miami isn’t overmuch better, arsenic it ranks 130th of 136 Division I teams.

While Ohio State mightiness intelligibly beryllium nan amended team, I for illustration Miami’s chances of keeping this crippled wrong azygous digits simply because this should beryllium a low-scoring protect struggle played astatine a snail’s pace. Points will beryllium highly valuable successful this one.

Miami vs. Ohio State moneyline likelihood analysis

Why Ohio State could triumph arsenic nan favorite

Best odds: -350 astatine BetMGM Sportsbook

This week’s Ohio State odds show nan Buckeyes are not only a sizable favourite successful this game, but they’re a clear favourite to triumph nan nationalist championship.

We’ve outlined that this defense is historically good. It has constricted opponents to nether 10 points per crippled and gives up nary explosive plays. They’ll apt person 4 players taken successful nan first information of nan adjacent NFL Draft, and 2 of them are apt top-10 picks.

Offensively, backmost Julian Sayin vanished 4th successful Heisman Trophy voting. Receiver Carnell Tate is besides projected to beryllium an early first-round prime successful nan NFL Draft, while sophomore WR Jeremiah Smith vanished sixth successful Heisman voting. The Buckeyes should beryllium capable to create capable discourtesy to triumph this game.

Why Miami could triumph arsenic nan underdog

Best odds: +290 astatine FanDuel Sportsbook

Miami’s defense is nary joke. The Hurricanes are top-five successful scoring defense and person nan seventh-best defense successful position of yards allowed per play. We saw this connected show successful their 10-3 triumph complete Texas A&M successful nan first round.

Carson Beck was nan 2nd astir meticulous backmost successful nan state this season, down Sayin. He besides had nan quickest mean clip to propulsion of immoderate P4 quarterback, which mightiness neutralize nan Ohio State walk rush.

In a crippled wherever points are expected to beryllium highly reliable to travel by, each it takes is 1 large aliases fluky play to alteration everything.

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Based connected Long Island, Pete Truszkowski has been covering and penning astir nan sports betting manufacture for nan amended portion of 5 years. His activity has been featured astatine places for illustration Yahoo Sports and Action...

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