Your Miami Hurricanes face off against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl classic this evening. The CFP quarterfinal is the biggest game Miami’s played in over 20 years, and the stakes are sky high.
Miami enters the game as 9.5pt underdogs according to our friends at FanDuel Sportsbook , but that doesn’t mean the game is over before it starts. This is a tough opponent, sure, but so is Miami, and each team has the talent to win.
Here are the keys to victory for the Hurricanes tonight:
Win the line of scrimmage
This is short
and sweet: Mario Cristobal’s core team building philosophy is “big dudes close to the ball”. With an offensive line that averages 6’6” 330lbs, and a defensive line that goes 8 deep with size, strength, speed, and elite talent, this year’s Canes embody that archetype perfectly.
Winning the line of scrimmage on offense looks like a good run game, a time of possession advantage, plenty of time the QB to throw, and mitigation or elimination of the Ohio State defensive line’s ability to make plays. We’ve seen that many times from Miami’s OL, including last time out against Texas A&M, so that needs to happen again.
Winning the line of scrimmage on defense looks like stopping OSU’s run game (something like fewer than 70 yards rushing and 3 or fewer yards per carry), and getting pressure on QB Julian Sayin with rushing only 4 linemen. Getting quick pressure and not having to blitz will allow Miami to allocate resources in pass coverage, something that will be needed to address OSU’s receivers.
Win the turnover battle
This was key to Miami’s win against Texas A&M, and winning the turnover battle will be a key tonight as well. Miami has a stellar +11 turnover margin this season, good for 11th nationally. Ohio State has a positive turnover margin as well, but only +5 for the season. So, the chance is there for Miami to leverage this advantage as well.
Taking the ball away from the opponent is super awesome. Sports are about the ball, like the physical entity itself, so having it and taking it from the opponent are key items. Miami lost the turnover battle twice this season….and lost both games. Direct correlation to turnovers and results. So, following that logic, if Miami wins the turnover battle, they will likely win this game. So win the turnover battle. Please.
Carson Beck Legend Game
This is the moment for Carson Beck. Miami brought him in to lead this team this season at great NIL $ expense (reportedly as much as $4 million). They did that because Beck is a talented, veteran QB who has played in big moments and has the talent, skill, and performance to lift Miami to new heights.
I wrote about this yesterday in more depth, but I’ll sum it up like this: for Miami to win, Carson Beck will need to have a very strong game, the likes of which have been seen from him against ranked teams over the last 3 years. Biggest stage, brightest lights, and it’s time to shine once again.
Those are my keys to the game for tonight’s Cotton Bowl. Share your keys to victory in the comments below.
