Defending champ Ohio State loses to Miami as teams with first-round byes drop to 0-5 in playoff

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Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, center, gets away from Miami defensive lineman David Blay Jr. (11) and defensive back Ja'Boree Antoine (16) to score a touchdown on a pass from quarterback Julian Sayin, not visible, during the second half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Miami defensive back Jakobe Thomas, right, makes a tackle on Ohio State tight end Will Kacmarek during the second half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson) — Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, center, gets away from Miami defensive lineman David Blay Jr. (11) and defensive back Ja'Boree Antoine (16) to score a touchdown on a pass from quarterback Julian Sayin, not visible, during the second half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

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10:05 PM on Wednesday, December 31, 2025

By SCHUYLER DIXON

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jeremiah Smith and the Ohio State Buckeyes won't be the school's first back-to-back national champions, and the College Football Playoff still doesn't have a winner from teams with the first-round byes.

No. 10 Miami held on for a 24-14 victory in the Cotton Bowl quarterfinal Wednesday night, bouncing the No. 3 Buckeyes a year after they won four CFP games on the way to the title.

Ohio State (12-2, CFP No. 2 seed) trailed 14-0 at halftime, but was within three at 17-14 after Smith's 14-yard touchdown catch on fourth-and-2 early in the fourth quarter.

Smith, the All-America receiver, ended up with 157 yards on seven catches, including a 59-yarder that didn't lead to points in a scoreless first half for the Buckeyes.

The sluggish first half meant Smith's shiny second half wasn't enough as Ohio State finished the season with two losses following a 12-0 start. Top-ranked Indiana beat the Buckeyes 13-10 in the Big Ten championship game.

In the first year of the 12-team playoff last season, all four teams that got first-round byes lost in the quarterfinals. Now that record is 0-5, but this time it's different. A year ago, two teams with first-round byes were lower seeds. This time, the top four seeds got the byes.

Miami's Keionte Scott returned Julian Sayin's interception 72 yards for a 14-0 lead in the second quarter. Sayin's second interception in the final minute sealed the win for the Hurricanes (12-2, CFP No. 10 seed).

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