TAMPA, Fla. – It does not have to be pretty this time of year, and Miami’s first-round playoff win at Texas A&M was anything but a sight for sore eyes. That was until Mark Fletcher’s running set up Malachi Toney’s late touchdown in a 10-3 win that sent the Hurricanes (11-2) to Wednesday’s quarterfinal matchup with Ohio State.
The New Year’s Eve matchup in the Cotton Bowl (7:30, ESPN) will feature two smothering defenses. As such, Miami quarterback Carson Beck will have to find a way to throw for more than the 103 yards he did against the Aggies. Beck could not get much of anything down field and though he did not turn the ball over, only two of his 14 completions (20 attempts) went for as many as 15 yards.
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It will not get any easier against the Buckeyes, who have allowed all of 10 touchdowns – 10!! – in 13 games. The most points allowed are the 16 scored by Illinois in October. That’s right: not one team in 13 games has scored as many as 20 points against 12-1 Ohio State. The lone loss was against Indiana and Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, 13-10, in the Big Ten championship game.
Toney is someone who could unsettle the Buckeyes’ defense. The exciting freshman’s 89 receptions are fourth in the nation and he is averaging 104.5 all-purpose yards per game. The Liberty City native is responsible for 11 TDs, including two passing, and is dynamic on special teams averaging 15.8 yards per punt return.
Miami can also bring the heat
There is no better edge rush duo than Reuben Bain, Jr. and Akheem Mesidor, who combined for 4.5 sacks of Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed. They have plenty of help on a unit that is fourth nationally in sacks per game with 3.5, and took Reed to the ground seven times. Marquise Lightfoot, who started opposite Bain when Mesidor missed a late-October game at Stanford, Armondo Blount, who has played inside as well as at end, and Ahmad Moten, who has a career high 7.5 tackles for loss while lined up inside, make for a formidable group up front, and one that has ample depth.
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A defense that is allowing 282 yards per game to rank 11th nationally has plenty of other weapons. Among them is Auburn transfer and sixth-year senior Keionte Scott. The Jim Thorpe Award finalist as the nation’s best defensive back – the winner was Ohio State’s Caleb Downs – has five sacks and 13 tackles for loss despite missing two games. Linebacker Mo Toure leads the team in tackles with 62 and has broken up four passes.
Another top-shelf effort from Corey Hetherman’s defense will be required against Julian Sayin, who leads the nation in pass efficiency. The redshirt freshman has the luxury of targeting, among others, Biletnikoff Award finalist (nation’s top receiver) Jeremiah Smith. Running back Bo Jackson has had a superb freshman campaign with 1,035 yards and 6.2 yards per tote.
The victor will advance to the CFP semis (Fiesta Bowl) on January 8 and meet the winner of the New Year’s evening quarterfinal matchup between Old Miss and Georgia. Here is the full slate:
Wednesday, 7:30 ET, ESPN
Miami (11-2) vs. Ohio State (12-1)
Thursday, Noon ET, ESPN
Oregon (12-1) vs. Texas Tech (12-1)
Thursday, 4:00 ET, ESPN
Alabama (11-3) vs. Indiana (13-0)
Thursday, 8:00 ET, ESPN
Ole Miss (12-1) vs. Georgia (12-1)
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