SCORE BY QUARTERS
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
FINAL
0
14
3
7
24
0
0
7
7
14
Attendance:
71,323
Kickoff Time:
6:41 p.m. CT
End of Game:
9:50 p.m. CT
Game Duration:
3:09
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Keionte Scott peeked over at the Miami sideline to see the reaction of his teammates as he sprinted 72 yards untouched for a touchdown returning an interception against defending national champion Ohio State.
They certainly were excited, as were a Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver and a former coach who won national championships with the Hurricanes.
Scott picked off a screen pass by Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin, Carson Beck threw a touchdown pass and 10th-ranked Miami shocked the Buckeyes 24-14 on Wednesday night at the Cotton Bowl in the first College Football Playoff quarterfinal.
“I was full of emotions. … That was a pretty cool moment,” said Scott, who has TD returns on both of his interceptions this season. “Just having fun. … That’s what this team relies on, man, just going out there playing free and just having fun.”
The Hurricanes (12-2, CFP No. 10 seed) have won two playoff games to get into football’s final four after needing an at-large berth to make the 12-team field, after not even playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. One more win and they will get to play for a national championship in their home stadium.
Next for Miami in coach Mario Cristobal’s fourth season is a CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8 against No. 3 seed Georgia or No. 6 seed Ole Miss, the SEC teams in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday night.
There hasn’t been a national title for “The U” since 2001, when Cristobal was a standout offensive tackle for the Hurricanes and part of his second championship there. The Hurricanes were denied a repeat the following season with a double-overtime loss in the Fiesta Bowl to Ohio State, the only other time the teams met in a bowl — and the last Miami played in that game.
“It is 100% not about me. I’m part of their team, I’m a part of that family,” Cristobal said. “It is my obligation as a former Miami Hurricane player and all the things that Miami did for my brother and I to do my best to try to provide these guys with even better opportunities so they can fulfill all the great things they are destined for.”
Before receiver Michael Irvin and coach Jimmy Johnson were Super Bowl champions with the Dallas Cowboys, they were part of the Hurricanes’ 1987 national championship. Irvin excitedly ran down the sideline while Scott was scoring for a 14-0 lead, and Johnson was nearby when acknowledged by Cristobal during the on-field trophy presentation.
Scott’s interception return came only 1:42 after Beck’s quick pass to Mark Fletcher Jr. out of the backfield for a 9-yard score.
Beck, who was part of Georgia’s national titles in 2021 and 2022 when Stetson Bennett was the starter, completed 19 of 26 passes for 138 yards.
When asked what stood out to him about these Hurricanes, Beck said, “Just the way that this team has responded to adversity. We knew coming into today that it wasn’t going to be easy.”
The TD throw to Fletcher, who also ran 19 times for 90 yards and was the game’s offensive MVP, was the seventh of 13 consecutive completions for Beck. That set a record in the Cotton Bowl, which was played for the 90th time.
Sayin, a freshman backup behind Will Howard for Ohio State’s national championship run last season, was 22 of 35 for 287 yards with two interceptions and a TD to Jeremiah Smith. Sayin was sacked five times.
AP All-America receiver Smith, the Miami native, caught seven of those passes for 157 yards, including a 14-yard TD on a fourth down in the fourth quarter.
Carter Davis added a 49-yard field goal in the third quarter and ChaMar Brown ran for a 5-yard TD in the game’s final minute for the Hurricanes, whose 24 points were the most Ohio State gave up this season.
SCORING SUMMARY
QTR
TIME
SCORE
(V-H)
TEAM
SCORING PLAY
DRIVE
2nd
13:31
7-0
Miami
Mark Fletcher Jr. 9 yd pass from Carson Beck (Carter Davis kick)
13-83
(08:04)
2nd
11:49
14-0
Miami
Keionte Scott 72 yd interception return (Carter Davis kick)
01:42
(14-0)
3rd
08:10
14-7
Ohio State
Bo Jackson 1 yd rush (Jayden Fielding kick)
11-82
(06:44)
3rd
03:01
17-7
Miami
Carter Davis 49 yd FG
9-43
(05:04)
4th
13:28
17-14
Ohio State
Jeremiah Smith 14 yd pass from Julian Sayin (Jayden Fielding kick)
10-75
(04:33)
4th
00:55
24-14
Miami
CharMar Brown 5 yd rush (Carter Davis kick)
10-70
(05:01)
MIAMI STARTERS
POS.
NO.
OFFENSE
WR
0
Keelan Marion
WR
10
Malachi Toney
QB
11
Carson Beck
RB
4
Mark Fletcher Jr.
OL
52
James Brockermeyer
OL
61
Francis Mauigoa
OL
63
Samson Okunlola
WR
7
CJ Daniels
OL
70
Markel Bell
OL
73
Anez Cooper
TE
87
Alex Bauman
POS.
NO.
DEFENSE
DB
0
Keionte Scott
LB
1
Mohamed Toure
DB
24
Ethan O’Connor
DB
29
Romanas Frederique, Jr.
DL
3
Akheem Mesidor
LB
31
Wesley Bissainthe
DL
4
Rueben Bain Jr.
DL
5
Justin Scott
S
7
Zechariah Poyser
DB
8
Jakobe Thomas
DL
99
Ahmad Moten
MIAMI RESERVES
1 – Joshisa Trader, 10 – Raul Aguirre, Jr., 11 – David Blay, 12 – Marquise Lightfoot, 12 – Ny Carr, 13 – Bryce Fitzgerald, 16 – Jaboree Antoine, 18 – Armondo Blount, 2 – Damari Brown, 22 – Cameron Pruitt, 22 – Girard Pringle Jr., 23 – Dylan Day, 25 – Chris Wheatley-Humphrey, 28 – Isaiah Taylor, 33 – Nick Thomas, 35 – Herbert Scroggins III, 38 – Carter Davis, 41 – Chase Smith, 46 – Adam Booker, 48 – Andres Williams, 5 – Ray Ray Joseph, 54 – Ezekiel Marcelin, Jr., 54 – Michael Donovan, 6 – Xavier Lucas, 6 – CharMar Brown, 79 – Deryc Plazz, 84 – Jack Nickel, 9 – Elija Lofton, 94 – Dylan Joyce.
OHIO STATE STARTERS
POS.
NO.
OFFENSE
QB
10
Julian Sayin
WR
17
Carnell Tate
RB
25
Bo Jackson
WR
4
Jeremiah Smith
OL
51
Luke Montgomery
OL
58
Gabe Van Sickle
OL
67
Austin Siereveld
OL
70
Phillip Daniels
OL
75
Carson Hinzman
TE
86
Max Klare
TE
89
Will Kacmarek
POS.
NO.
DEFENSE
LB
0
Sonny Styles
CB
1
Davison Igbinosun
S
18
Jaylen McClain
DB
2
Caleb Downs
CB
3
Lorenzo Styles Jr.
CB
7
Jermaine Mathews Jr.
LB
8
Arvell Reese
DE
92
Caden Curry
DE
96
Eddrick Houston
DE
97
Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
DT
98
Kayden McDonald
OHIO STATE RESERVES
1 – Brandon Inniss, 12 – Bryce West, 12 – CJ Donaldson Jr, 15 – Jelani Thurman, 15 – Zion Grady, 20 – James Peoples, 21 – Brenton Jones, 23 – Garrett Stover, 26 – Payton Pierce, 28 – Leroy Roker, 38 – Jayden Fielding, 39 – Joey Velazquez, 42 – Joe McGuire, 43 – John Ferlmann, 5 – Aaron Scott Jr., 5 – Mylan Graham, 53 – Will Smith Jr., 6 – Devin Sanchez, 69 – Ian Moore, 88 – Maxence LeBlanc, 95 – Tywone Malone.
