The bracket is officially busted. In the first Quarterfinal matchup of the 12-team era's second year, the #10 Miami Hurricanes walked into AT&T Stadium and dominated the #2 Ohio State Buckeyes, 24-14.
The Buckeyes, who received a first-round bye as the Big Ten Runner-up (seeded #2 due to conference champion protocols), looked sluggish and disjointed against a Miami team that had already played—and won—a playoff game last week against Texas A&M.
The Cam Ward Show
Miami quarterback Cam Ward was electric, extending plays with his legs and throwing for 285 yards and two touchdowns. His ability to escape the touted Ohio State pass rush frustrated the Buckeyes all evening.
"They said we didn't belong on this field," Ward said postgame. "We just showed the world what The U is about."
Iron Bowl Reactions
Auburn Fans: Are pointing to Miami as the blueprint. Mario Cristobal turned a sub-.500 team into a playoff semifinalist in just two years. It's the exact timeline Golesh is selling on The Plains.
Alabama Fans: Are breathing a sigh of relief. Ohio State was the one roster that matched Alabama's talent pound-for-pound. With the Buckeyes out, the "talent advantage" in a potential title game swings back to the SEC... if the Tide handles Indiana properly.
What This Means for the Bracket
Miami becomes the first team to punch their ticket to the Semifinals. They will await the winner of the Sugar Bowl matchup between #3 Georgia and #6 Ole Miss.
Today's Slate (Jan 1)
- Rose Bowl: #9 Alabama vs. #1 Indiana 5:00 PM ET
- Sugar Bowl: #6 Ole Miss vs. #3 Georgia 8:45 PM ET
- Orange Bowl: #4 Texas Tech vs. #5 Oregon 1:00 PM ET
With the #2 seed out, the path to the National Championship has opened wide. The winner of today's Alabama vs. Indiana game will face the winner of Oregon vs. Texas Tech. If Alabama wins today, they avoid Ohio State—a team many predicted would be waiting in the finals.