The air in Arlington felt different on New Year's Eve. For most fans, the highlights of the Ohio State football game were supposed to be a coronation, a simple stepping stone toward another national title. Instead, what we got at the Cotton Bowl was a gritty, sometimes ugly, and ultimately heartbreaking 24-14 loss to a Miami team that just wouldn't quit.
It hurts. Honestly, seeing the Buckeyes walk off that field while the Hurricanes celebrated felt like a glitch in the system. Ohio State entered as the No. 2 seed, fresh off a season where they looked invincible right up until the Big Ten Championship. Then, the wheels didn't exactly come off, but they certainly started wobbling.
The Turning Point Nobody Saw Coming
Basically, the first half was a defensive slog that left everyone in the stands checking their watches. Miami jumped out to a 14-0 lead, and the Buckeyes looked stuck in second gear. Julian Sayin, the young gun everyone has been pinning their hopes on, had a rough go of it early. He was sacked five times. Five! After only being touched six times the entire regular season, the protection just evaporated.
But then, the third quarter happened.
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Ohio State found some life. They marched 82 yards down the field in a drive that felt like it took forever—seven minutes of pure, old-school football. Bo Jackson, who has been a revelation this year, finally punched it in from the one-yard line. You could feel the momentum shifting. The highlights of the Ohio State football game usually feature high-flying passes, but this was a fistfight in the trenches.
Why the Comeback Stalled
After a Miami field goal pushed the lead to 17-7, Sayin finally found his rhythm. He connected with Jeremiah Smith—the freshman phenom who is clearly going to be a Sunday player—on a gutsy fourth-and-2 for a 14-yard touchdown.
17-14.
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The stadium was shaking. We've seen this movie before, right? The Buckeyes trailing late, the talent taking over, the inevitable victory. But Miami had a different script. With under a minute left and the Buckeyes driving for what could have been a game-winning or game-tying score, Jakobe Thomas picked off Sayin. Game over.
- Julian Sayin's Stats: 22/35 for 287 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs.
- Jeremiah Smith's Impact: 157 receiving yards. The kid is just different.
- The Run Game: Bo Jackson managed 55 yards, but the ground attack never truly dominated like it needed to.
Breaking Down the Highlights of the Ohio State Football Game
When you look at the highlights of the Ohio State football game, you have to talk about the defense. They held a potent Miami offense to 24 points, which usually is enough to win in Ryan Day’s system. But the turnovers were the killer. You can't give a team like Miami extra possessions in a playoff environment and expect to survive.
Kinda feels like the Indiana loss in the Big Ten title game was a bit of a precursor. The Buckeyes were the No. 1 team in the country for almost the entire season, but they finished with two straight losses. That’s going to be a long winter in Columbus.
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Most people get wrong that the offense was the only issue. Sure, Sayin had a couple of bad throws, but the offensive line's inability to handle Miami’s front four was the real story. You've got to protect the franchise. If Sayin is running for his life, the best receivers in the world can't help you.
What This Means for 2026
We’re sitting here in mid-January, and the transfer portal is already buzzing. Devin Brown just headed to Weber State. The roster is going to look different next year. But the core? The core is still there. Jeremiah Smith isn't going anywhere. Sayin will be a year older, a year wiser, and hopefully a lot less bruised.
The sting of this Cotton Bowl loss won't fade quickly. It’s a reminder that in the new 12-team playoff, there are no "gimme" games. Every highlight of the Ohio State football game from this post-season serves as a lesson for the coaching staff. They were 12-0 and dominant. Then they hit a wall.
Next Steps for the Buckeyes
To get back to the top, the program needs to focus on these specific areas during the offseason:
- Rebuild the Trenches: The offensive line needs elite reinforcements from the portal to ensure Sayin isn't the most-hit QB in the Big Ten next season.
- Redzone Efficiency: Leaving points on the board against Indiana and Miami proved fatal; the playbook needs more creativity inside the 20.
- Secondary Depth: While the defense was solid, the late-game interceptions by opponents suggest a need for more ball-hawking presence in the defensive backfield.
- Mental Reset: Ryan Day has to address the "December slump" to ensure the team enters the playoffs with the same fire they show in September.
Watching the highlights of the Ohio State football game might be painful right now, but the talent gap is still in Ohio State's favor against 95% of the country. It's about closing that final 5% gap.