The Miami Hurricanes made history last weekend after defeating the Texas A&M Aggies 10-3 in the first round of the College Football Playoff to secure the first playoff win in its history, while also becoming the first program in Florida to win a playoff game.

They look to continue making history on New Year’s Eve against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl. The matchup will be the school’s second since the 2002 National Championship Game, a 31-24 Ohio State win in d0uble overtime after a controversial pass interference flag gave the Buckeyes life and wiped out national championship No. 6 for the Hurricanes. That history hasn’t been lost on some of the players on the teams, including star OSU wideout Jeremiah Smith.

So, how do some of the supposed experts see this game playing out on the field? Turns out, in quite a similar fashion. CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford, Chris Hummer, and ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg all weighed in with predictions, and all see Ohio State winning a game by a touchdown.

Experts predict Ohio State to win by around a touchdown over Miami

“The quarters kick off with a good one, as Ohio State returns to the building where it won a CFP semifinal matchup in last season’s national title run. Despite the disappointment of the Big Ten championship game, coach Ryan Day and his team can draw upon their playoff success from last season and begin the quest to repeat.

“A key matchup will be Ohio State’s offensive line (which allowed five sacks to Indiana after surrendering six during the entire regular season) facing a talented Miami defensive front led by Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr. The Buckeyes will need to run the ball effectively, especially in short-yardage situations. But they can also lean on their defense to fluster Beck and the Hurricanes a bit. Expect big games from Arvell Reese, Caden Curry and others as Ohio State moves on. Ohio State 27, Miami 20” – Adam Rittenberg, ESPN.com

“(Miami +9.5): I’m not going to pick Miami to upset my national title pick. But that’s a very appealing line for a Miami cover. Ohio State can usually suffocate opponents with its line play and speed on the outside. That’s not going to happen with Miami, a team with one of the best o-lines and pass rush groups in the FBS.

“I certainly trust Ohio State’s offense a bit more in this matchup, but even that unit has a question mark associated with it after the way it struggled against Indiana. This will be a rock fight for most of the day, but the Buckeyes pull away in the second half. Ohio State 27, Miami 20.” – Chris Hummer, CBSSports.com

“(Miami +9.5): Should I stay with the Hurricanes after taking Miami on the moneyline at Texas A&M? I’m not ready to pick against my national championship selection just yet, but Mario Cristobal’s defense could present a number of problems for Julian Sayin and the Buckeyes’ passing game. Miami stymied the Aggies with a variety of looks and consistently frustrated Marcel Reed — film that Ryan Day and his staff will study closely ahead of this matchup.

“Outside of a potential rematch with Indiana in the national championship game, this may be the toughest test Ohio State faces in the bracket. This one could look a lot like the Big Ten Championship Game, a 12-round slugfest dictated by defense and timely stops. Ohio State 20, Miami 14.” – Brad Crawford, CBSSports.com

The line for Miami vs. Ohio State doesn’t make a ton of sense

I was a bit surprised to see the opening odds come out around 10 points in favor of Ohio State. I’m not a bookmaker, but I had 7.5 in my mind as a possible number after Miami beat the Aggies. It appears that the aforementioned experts see a game along those lines as well.

The Hurricanes’ defense has proven that it can hang with any team in the country, and it’s back to the dominant level it played at while surging up to the No. 2 ranking in the polls in October. However, it will undoubtedly face its toughest test of the season against Ohio State. The Buckeyes’ three-headed receiving corps in Smith, Carnell Tate, and Brandon Inniss will pose a true challenge to the Canes’ rebuilt and, thus far, exceptional secondary.

The Hurricanes will need another monster game from their star edge duo, Rueben Bain, Jr. and Akheem Mesidor, to have a shot at keeping the Buckeyes’ offense from putting the game out of reach.

We’ll find out soon enough if the Hurricanes can beat the odds for the second straight game in the playoff with kickoff just five days away.

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