Ohio State vs. Miami score predictions: Can the Buckeyes win a second straight Cotton Bowl?

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Ohio State is playing successful its 3rd consecutive Cotton Bowl and 2nd arsenic portion of nan College Football Playoff.

The Buckeyes will look Miami, which is coming disconnected a roadworthy triumph complete Texas A&M successful nan first round. The victor will look either Georgia aliases Ole Miss successful nan Fiesta Bowl.

Our unit made crippled predictions based connected DraftKings’ 9.5-point dispersed pinch an over/under constituent full of 40.5. Once again, we are betting Buckeye Talk tokens, starting pinch a bankroll of 100 and seeing who tin turn their bankroll nan astir — aliases simply debar losing it — complete nan people of nan season.

Stephen Means

Ohio State 27, Miami 6

Miami has an elite beforehand 7 that has an expertise to support it successful this crippled longer than possibly it should be. But really galore times tin nan Hurricanes inquire their defense to get extremity aft extremity earlier that damn yet breaks because they don’t person nan horses offensively to support them disconnected nan field.

At immoderate point, Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate and Bo Jackson are going to starting scoring touchdowns. I don’t deliberation Miami has nan expertise to lucifer that. This isn’t nan Indiana crippled and Ryan Day arsenic a play-caller successful CFP games has already proven that 10 points isn’t capable to hit him.

The Buckeyes don’t request to people 40 points to triumph this game, but 3 touchdowns and a mates of section goals should surely get nan occupation done.

Game pick: Ohio State -9.5 (8 Buckeye Talk Tokens)

Over/under: Under 40.5 (5 BTT)

Record: 12-1

Against nan spread: 11-2-0

Over/under record: 6-7-0

Tokens left: 223

Stefan Krajisnik

Ohio State 27, Miami 6

Picture nan Big Ten Championship Game, but alternatively of Ohio State failing to person successful nan reddish zone, nan Buckeyes people touchdowns. That really I envision nan Cotton Bowl playing out.

Miami has a awesome defense, and it’s facing a awesome Ohio State offense. Ohio State has an elite defense, and it’s facing a bully Miami offense. The operation of those descriptions tells maine nan Buckeyes tin support themselves astatine slightest an arm’s magnitude distant from nan Hurricanes while nan timepiece slow ticks connected an different successful play for Miami.

With Day calling plays, having other clip to strategy an discourtesy and getting his apical 2 receivers backmost astatine 100%, I foretell Ohio State’s discourtesy to execute astatine a higher level than erstwhile we past saw it.

Game pick: Ohio State -9.5 (15 BTT)

Over/under: Under 40.5 (10 BTT)

Record: 12-1

Against nan spread: 10-2-0

Over/under record: 8-5-0

Tokens left: 162

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Andrew Gillis

Ohio State 24, Miami 10

Ohio State enters nan College Football Playoff, erstwhile again, disconnected a loss. But this twelvemonth feels ohio truthful different from past year.

The Buckeyes are successful a acold amended place, but this time, they’ll look a Hurricanes squad coming disconnected a thrilling triumph complete Texas A&M successful nan College Football Playoff quarterfinal. I deliberation Miami enters this matchup arsenic a assured bunch, believing it tin sound disconnected Ohio State.

But that will only matter for truthful long. Ohio State is deeper, much talented, and simply a amended shot squad than Miami, and 1 pinch much experience, too. My anticipation for nan Cotton Bowl is that nan Buckeyes slow suffocate nan Hurricanes pinch an elite defense successful a crippled that, while whitethorn not beryllium retired of scope connected nan scoreboard, feels truthful pinch nan measurement nan evening plays out. With really talented Ohio State’s defense is, it’s difficult to spot Miami moving nan shot pinch ease.

Ohio State marches connected to nan Fiesta Bowl pinch a two-touchdown triumph complete Miami wherever it faces a decent trial from a talented Hurricanes squad.

Game pick: Ohio State -9.5 (2 BTT)

Over/under: Under 40.5 (2 BTT)

Record: 11-2

Against nan spread: 8-5-0

Over/under record: 7-6-0

Tokens left: 104

Stephen Means covers Ohio State shot for Cleveland.com while besides serving arsenic nan big of nan Buckeye Talk podcast. Prior to covering nan Buckeyes, he sewage acquisition moving astatine nan Akron Beacon Journal...