Sitting out the CFP first round, Ohio State waited to learn whether their Cotton Bowl opponent would be a physical Texas A&M team or a Miami squad still trying to prove it belonged on this stage. That became clear the moment the Aggies failed to protect its home field when they fell 10-3 at Kyle Field. QB Julian Sayin and co. quietly avoided the matchup it least wanted. And that result reshaped the upcoming bowl game in more ways than one, and the ripple effects were immediate.

“Predictably, Cotton Bowl tickets have fallen to as low as $120-150 just one day after Texas A&M fumbled a trip up to north Texas,” Ohio State writer Dillon Davis tweeted on December 21. “Ohio State fans will dominate that stadium split, and their biggest competition might be those fans dressed as empty seats.”

The statement was a real-time snapshot of demand collapsing once a regional fan base was removed from the equation.

Before kickoff in College Station, the 90th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic carried premium pricing. Upper concourse seats started at $245. Main-level tickets opened at $355, mezzanine at $375, loge at $400, and lower club seats climbed to $800. Those numbers reflected Texas A&M’s proximity, its reputation for traveling fans, and the expectation of a pro-Aggies crowd in Arlington. Once Miami advanced, that math changed overnight.

Within hours of the Hurricanes’ win, prices fell sharply across platforms. StubHub listed entry points at $144, VividSeats at $170, Gametime at $163, Ticketmaster at $188, and SeatGeek at $242. Even lower-bowl seats showed volatility, ranging from $497 to $1,600. The point is Ohio State dodged a crowd problem. That matters in a neutral-site game played inside AT&T Stadium, where more than 80,000 seats can amplify momentum quickly.

That outcome was sealed by a game that tested patience. Miami and Texas A&M played a scoreless first half marked by fumbles, missed field goals, and stalled drives. The Aggies managed only 89 rushing yards. The Hurricanes did not look sharp offensively, but their defense controlled the night. Miami sacked QB Marcel Reed seven times and finished the game with a defining moment. An interception in the end zone with under 30 seconds left. That single play sent Miami forward and Texas A&M home, and it redirected the Cotton Bowl entirely.

But moving on, the Hurricanes arrive at 11-2, energized by their first-ever CFP win under head coach Mario Cristobal and led by Georgia transfer Carson Beck. Ohio State enters at 12-1, confident, rested, and supported by a fan base that now expects to control the building. These two teams have split their all-time series 2-2, most famously meeting in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. They have not played since 2011. In addition to learning who their opponent is, the Buckeyes also learned they avoided the toughest scenario possible. 

Why Ohio State welcomes the Miami matchup

Ohio State now prepares for Miami instead of a familiar SEC force. Oddsmakers reacted quickly with BetMGM opening the Buckeyes as 9.5-point favorites. Some books stretch that number to 11.5 points. It is the largest spread among the CFP quarterfinals and the reasoning is direct. Miami struggled to generate offense against Texas A&M, while OSU enters with the nation’s most complete defense and a Heisman finalist QB playing at an elite efficiency level.

Julian Sayin has thrown for 3,323 yards, 31 touchdowns, and just six interceptions, completing 78.4 percent of his passes. Ohio State averages 34.9 points per game and 429.5 yards of offense, far exceeding what Miami typically allows. The Buckeyes pair their QB with one of the country’s most dangerous receiving duos in Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, while Bo Jackson has added balance with 1,035 rushing yards.

That said, the matchup is not without risk. Miami’s defense just proved it can dominate the line of scrimmage. Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor lead a unit that pressured relentlessly against the Aggies. If Ohio State’s offensive line repeats the issues it showed against Indiana, when Julian Sayin was sacked five times, the spread will look ambitious.

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Ryan Day’s Buckeyes are defending Cotton Bowl champions, having beaten Texas there last season on the way to a national title, and hold a 2-2 record all-time in the game. Next up, they’ll meet the Hurricanes at 7:30 p.m. ET on December 31 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with ESPN carrying the broadcast.