In the dim glow of AT&T Stadium on New Year’s Eve 2025, the Ohio State Buckeyes watched their dreams of repeating as national champions slip away in a stunning 24-14 defeat to the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal.

What had been billed as a coronation for the defending titleholders turned into one of the most shocking upsets in recent playoff history.

The Buckeyes, seeded second and entering as heavy favorites, ended their season at 12-2, undone by a sluggish start, relentless pressure from Miami’s defense, and critical mistakes that proved impossible to overcome.

The game began with an eerie sense of mismatch. Miami, the underdog that had barely scraped into the expanded 12-team playoff after a late-season stumble, came out with ferocious energy.

The Hurricanes dominated the trenches from the opening snap, holding Ohio State to just nine yards in the first quarter—the fewest the Buckeyes had managed in any quarter since 2017. Miami’s defensive line, led by edge rushers Rueben Bain Jr.

and Akheem Mesidor, swarmed sophomore quarterback Julian Sayin, who was making his first major playoff start after a breakout regular season. Sayin, the nation’s most accurate passer during the year with a completion percentage nearing 78%, looked rattled early.

He was sacked multiple times, hurried into poor decisions, and struggled to find rhythm against the constant blitzes.

The turning point arrived in the second quarter. Ohio State had finally found some traction, marching into Miami territory with a big gain from star receiver Jeremiah Smith. On a screen pass intended for Brandon Inniss, Sayin floated the ball into traffic.

Miami cornerback Keionte Scott read it perfectly, stepping in front for the interception and racing 72 yards untouched for a pick-six. The stadium erupted as Scott crossed the goal line, with Miami legends like Michael Irvin sprinting down the sideline in celebration.

The score pushed the Hurricanes to a 14-0 lead, a deficit that felt insurmountable given how the Buckeyes had started.

Miami quarterback Carson Beck, steady and efficient, had already connected on a touchdown pass to running back Mark Fletcher Jr., capping an 83-yard drive that chewed up clock and showcased the Hurricanes’ physicality.

Ryan Day, Ohio State’s head coach, later took full responsibility for the slow beginning. He acknowledged that the 25-day layoff since the Big Ten Championship loss to Indiana had hurt the team’s rhythm.

“We put ourselves behind the eight-ball,” Day said in the postgame press conference, his tone measured but laced with disappointment. He praised Miami’s execution, noting how the Hurricanes “wanted the game more” and dominated both lines of scrimmage.

Day highlighted the defensive effort, including five sacks on Sayin, but admitted the plan hadn’t been executed as intended. “I take responsibility for not getting the guys ready to play,” he added, refusing to lean on excuses despite the long break.

Yet the Buckeyes refused to fold. In the second half, they showed flashes of the team that had dominated much of the regular season. The offense found its footing, stringing together long drives that kept Miami’s defense on the field.

Running back Bo Jackson punched in a 1-yard touchdown to open the third quarter, capping an 82-yard march. Then, in the fourth, Sayin delivered a strike to Jeremiah Smith on fourth down for a 14-yard score, pulling Ohio State within 17-14.

Smith, the dynamic wideout from the Miami area, was electric throughout, finishing with seven catches for 157 yards and the touchdown—a performance that reminded everyone why he was one of the most coveted recruits in recent years.

For a moment, hope flickered. The Buckeyes’ defense, one of the nation’s best all season, forced Miami into tough spots, with safety Caleb Downs making key plays, including forcing fumbles. But the Hurricanes answered every push.

Carter Davis connected on a 49-yard field goal to extend the lead, and in the final minute, running back ChaMar Brown powered in from five yards out to seal the victory. Miami’s clock management and opportunistic defense proved too much.

The final interception from Sayin, thrown under duress, underscored the night: pressure had won out.

Sayin finished 22-of-35 for 287 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. While the numbers looked respectable on paper, the five sacks and early struggles told the real story. The young quarterback, in his first full year as starter, had carried high expectations as a Heisman contender.

Postgame, he owned his role in the loss. “It starts with me,” Sayin said. “We didn’t put up enough points. We’ve got to be better on offense from an execution standpoint.” Day, however, offered perspective on the sophomore’s future, calling him a competitor with immense upside.

“Julian has a chance to be as good as he wants to be,” the coach noted, emphasizing that experience would come with more games under his belt.

The loss marked the end of an era for Ohio State. After an undefeated regular season that positioned them as the clear favorite to repeat, back-to-back defeats—to Indiana in the Big Ten title game and now Miami—exposed vulnerabilities. The offensive line, so dominant at times, faltered against elite pass rushes.

The long layoff, meant to be an advantage in the new playoff format, instead left the team rusty. First-round bye teams across the quarterfinals struggled similarly, with several falling into early holes.

For Miami, the victory was cathartic. Coach Mario Cristobal, a former Hurricanes player from their glory days, had rebuilt the program into a contender. The Hurricanes, who had lost to SMU in November and barely qualified for the playoff, now advanced to the Fiesta Bowl semifinal.

Their journey—from near-miss to giant-slayer—embodied the chaos and excitement of the expanded format. Players celebrated with former legends like Jimmy Johnson on the field, a reminder of the program’s storied past and promising future.

As the clock hit zero, Ohio State’s players lingered on the field, helmets off, heads bowed. The season that promised perfection ended in quiet reflection. Day gathered his team, emphasizing pride in their effort despite the outcome.

The Buckeyes had given everything in the second half, rallying from 14 down to make it a game. But in playoff football, starts matter, and Miami had dictated terms from the outset.

The sting of this defeat will linger in Columbus. Questions about play-calling, offensive line depth, and preparation for big moments will follow Day into the offseason.

Yet the foundation remains strong: elite talent like Smith, Sayin, and Downs, a recruiting class that continues to dominate, and a program accustomed to high expectations. The road to redemption begins in 2026, with lessons etched from this New Year’s Eve night.

For now, though, the defending champions are left to watch the rest of the playoff unfold from afar. Miami’s improbable run continues, while Ohio State turns the page, determined that this chapter’s ending will fuel the next one’s triumph.

College football rarely offers closure without heartbreak, and on this night in Arlington, the Buckeyes felt it deeply. (Word count: 1028)