Miami exposed Ohio State in the 2025 Cotton Bowl. Now both teams have legitimate championship paths in 2026, and the changes each made could make a rematch even more fascinating.
Miami’s 24-14 victory over Ohio State in the 2025 College Football Playoff quarterfinal was more than an upset. It was a blueprint, as the Hurricanes controlled the line of scrimmage, overwhelmed Ohio State up front, and forced the Buckeyes out of their comfort zone.
For Ohio State, the loss exposed a weakness at the worst possible time. But for Miami, it became the signature victory of a postseason run that took the Hurricanes to the National Championship game.
Now both programs enter 2026 with legitimate championship aspirations. If everything falls into place, college football could get Ohio State vs. Miami for the National Championship. While a rematch in a prior round of the College Football Playoff is also likely, I’m raising the stakes because that’s what you do in August.
The Cotton Bowl Left Ohio State With Questions to Answer
The Cotton Bowl left little mystery about what Ohio State needed to fix. The Buckeyes’ offensive line was overwhelmed, and Julian Sayin was forced to operate under pressure. Postgame analysis pointed to Ohio State’s struggles in the trenches as the ultimate factor.
That has made the offensive line one of the biggest storylines entering 2026. Ohio State returns key pieces, including Carson Hinzman, Austin Siereveld, and Luke Montgomery, while adding competition and depth. Ryan Day has praised the group’s depth, and the Buckeyes have emphasized physicality up front throughout the Spring and Summer. But how will it translate to the Fall?
If Ohio State sees Miami again, the approach cannot be the same. Julian Sayin also enters the season as a much different quarterback. After throwing for 3,610 yards and 41 touchdowns while completing 77 percent of his passes in 2025, he has a full season (14 starts) of experience under his belt.
Ohio State has also emphasized adding more mobility to his game, wanting Sayin to extend plays and create in space with his legs. Notably, Sayin told reporters Saturday that he now weighs around 215 pounds.
“He has a different look in his eye,” Ryan Day said of Julian Sayin.
Day credited Sayin for finding his voice, improving his body, and gaining strength this offseason.
— Blake T. Biscardi (@BlakeBiscardi) July 29, 2026
For Jeremiah Smith, Miami Is More Than Another Opponent
No storyline would make an Ohio State-Miami rematch more compelling than Jeremiah Smith, as he is from Miami. The Hurricanes recruited him heavily out of high school, and the five-star wide receiver ultimately chose Ohio State. In the Cotton Bowl, he delivered one of the best individual performances of the game, catching seven passes for 157 yards and a touchdown.
It still wasn’t enough. Miami walked away with the victory, while Smith and the Buckeyes entered an offseason filled with questions. How it ended for Smith and the Buckeyes makes a potential rematch personal without having to manufacture a rivalry.
Smith would have another opportunity to play the program from his hometown, only this time with a national championship on the line. It would give him a chance to rewrite the ending of his first matchup with Miami, which ended with Smith producing while Miami won. A second could end with Smith helping Ohio State finish the job.
The Trenches Could Decide a Second Meeting
The Hurricanes have reloaded as Darian Mensah takes over at quarterback after transferring from Duke, where he threw for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns in 2025. Mario Cristobal believes he can keep the offense dangerous while the defense remains its foundation. But like the Buckeyes, the offensive line is the group to watch for the Hurricanes.
Miami also enters 2026 with a dynamic weapon in wide receiver Malachi Toney, who is one of the most electrifying players in the country. Toney emerged as a major playmaker in 2025, showcasing the speed, explosiveness, and versatility to create problems both downfield and after the catch.
With Darian Mensah now leading the offense, Toney gives Miami a proven target capable of stretching Ohio State’s defense and creating explosive plays.
On the flip side, Miami’s defense still has plenty of intriguing pieces. Cristobal’s team returns a deep secondary, experienced linebackers, and significant talent along the interior defensive line. The biggest questions come at EDGE, where younger players will be asked to replace veteran production, and along the offensive line, where Miami returns only two starters.
Miami’s schedule gives the team time to develop. The Hurricanes open at Stanford before facing Florida A&M, Wake Forest and Central Michigan. October brings a trickier slate with Clemson, Florida State, and Pittsburgh on the horizon. However, it’s arguably a one-game season for the Canes in a November trip to Notre Dame for one of the sport’s Games of the Year.
Ohio State will have to navigate an even more challenging road. The Buckeyes face Texas, Iowa, Indiana, USC, Oregon, and Michigan, leaving little room for error. Still, both teams are built to win at the highest level, and to be the best, you have to beat the best.
What If the Cotton Bowl Was Only Chapter One?
That is what makes the possibility of a rematch so compelling. Miami exposed Ohio State in Dallas because the Hurricanes were more physical when it mattered most. Ohio State has spent the offseason addressing that problem.
Miami, meanwhile, must replace significant NFL talent while integrating a new quarterback and rebuilding portions of its offensive line. Both teams have changed, and both have questions to answer.
Then there is Jeremiah Smith, who is a Miami native who chose Ohio State. He’s a superstar who scored a touchdown against his hometown Hurricanes, but watched Miami celebrate while his season ended.
A potential rematch would therefore feature another intriguing individual matchup: Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith against a Miami offense led by Malachi Toney. Both receivers have the talent to change the game with one touch, adding another layer to what could be one of the most talented championship matchups in the country.
The 2025 Cotton Bowl would no longer be the ending for Smith. It would be the beginning. There would be no quarterfinal exit and no “what if” this time. Instead, there would be a National Championship on the line.
For Jeremiah Smith, there may be no better opportunity to turn a hometown heartbreak into one of the legacy moments of his Ohio State career.
Join us at DICK’s House of Sport in Polaris, OH, on Saturday, August 29, from 12-3 pm for a Tailgate Takeover to kick off football season! TSB LIVE returns for an on-site show with special guests previewing Ohio State’s 2026 season. You do not want to miss this event! Register here
NEXT: Read Why Ohio State True Freshman Jay Timmons Is Making Moves in Columbus
Blake Biscardi serves as Co-Founder, Lead Reporter, and Senior Editor of The Silver Bulletin. He hosts the Buckeye Cadence podcast, where he breaks down Ohio State football and basketball with an inside look into the programs. Covering Julian Sayin in New York City in 2025 was his Heisman moment, which became a viral moment in its own right. Biscardi is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and has degrees in Business Administration and Strategic Communication & Leadership.