The College Football Playoff quarterfinal pitting No. 10-seeded Miami against No. 2 Ohio State is a matchup of two of college football's most storied programs. Unfortunately for the Hurricanes, this year's edition of both squads is not as evenly matched as previous editions. Miami will need massive efforts from several of their big stars if they're going to pull off the sizable upset.
Ohio State currently sits as a 9.5-point favorite heading into the New Year's Eve clash. That's not a massive surprise given Miami's struggles to score points in their opening game against Texas A&M. Winning in College Station was a big victory for the Hurricanes, but only scoring 10 points raises concerns about their ability to move the ball against a stingy Buckeyes defense.
The odds may be stacked against Miami, but they do have the sort of star power that could turn the game in their favor if things break right. Hurricane fans should trust in these stars if they want to secure a Cotton Bowl win.
EDGE Rueben Bain, Jr.
NFL Draft experts have scrutinized Rueben Bain Jr. all season long. There may be questions about how his short arms could limit him as an edge rusher at the pro level, but they were no issue against the Aggies last weekend (or all season long).
Bain combined with fellow star Akheem Mesidor to torment Texas A&M signal caller Marcel Reed. Miami needs both players to show up again against Ohio State if they have any chance of slowing down quarterback Julian Sayin and his elite group of pass catchers.
Bain needs to consistently beat Buckeyes right tackle Daniel Phillips to wreak havoc in the backfield. He's got the speed to make that happen, but he needs to keep Phillips' hands off him to get to his back of tricks on the perimeter. Notching multiple sacks and perhaps forcing a strip sack should be Bain's objective in the quarterfinal.
RB Mark Fletcher Jr.
Running back Mark Fletcher Jr. is Miami's emotional leader, but he was much more than that against the Aggies rugged defense. His 172 rushing yards against Texas A&M powered his team's ability to score the big win on a day when Carson Beck was struggling to get anything going in the downfield passing game. (More on that in a minute.)
He may need to duplicate those efforts if he wants to keep his team's season alive this week. Ohio State has a talented front seven, but so did Texas A&M. If Miami can keep the Buckeyes honest with their passing game it's possible that Fletcher can get loose and do serious damage for a second consecutive week.
The clearest path to victory for Miami is to keep the ball away from Ohio State's high-powered offense. Running the ball effectively can keep the Buckeyes' prolific stars on the sideline. They need Fletcher to keep the chains moving and go over 100 yards if they're going to pull off the upset.
QB Carson Beck
Miami shelled out big money on Carson Beck on the transfer market, but he hasn't quite been the dominant quarterback they believed they were buying. They need him to be that guy against Ohio State to justify their investment.
Beck must avoid turning the football over to put his team in a position to win. He threw 10 interceptions on the season, but it's worth noting he has only thrown one pick in his last five games. Keeping that trend going is crucial for Beck against Ohio State.
Of course, he also needs to hit on some explosive plays to keep pace with the Buckeyes offense. He possesses the arm talent required to push the ball down the field, Ohio State will dare him to beat them deep. A few deep throws could easily be the difference between victory and defeat for Beck and his Hurricanes teammates.