The Buckeyes have the most talent the Hurricanes have faced all season
Ohio State brings a roster full of NFL-caliber playmakers to the Cotton Bowl next week, plus a defense that grades among the nation’s best. Ahead of the biggest test of the Canes’ season, here’s a quick list of Buckeyes who can flip the game if Miami lets them.
WR Jeremiah Smith
Smith headlines the problem list because he forces bracket coverage and still wins. He leads the Buckeyes with 1,086 receiving yards and 11 scores, and is one of those players you probably already know. One hesitation turns into a 30-yard chunk, so Miami has to stay locked in on every play.
QB Julian Sayin
Sayin drives Ohio State’s offense with quick decisions and downfield accuracy. He threw for 3,323 yards with 31 touchdowns against six picks, and ESPN’s QBR metric slots him near the top nationally. Miami’s pass rush has to win early downs, because Sayin punishes soft zones when he gets set.
WR Carnell Tate
Pick your poison rarely feels fair, but the combo of Jeremiah Smith and Tate turns that phrase into reality. Tate finished second on the team with 838 yards and nine touchdowns, thriving on crossers and verticals that punish aggressive linebackers. If Miami tilts coverage toward Smith, Tate will see the single-high looks he wants.
RB Bo Jackson
The Buckeyes’ Bo Jackson is somehow not related to the Hall-Of-Fame running back. Ohio State can lean on the run when games tighten, and Jackson supplies the hammer. The freshman logged 1,035 rushing yards, and the production got better as the season moved along. Miami’s defensive tackles have to hold the point, because Jackson turns light boxes into four quarters of stress.
S Caleb Downs
Downs changes the math for every quarterback. He triggers downhill on run fits, closes windows in the middle of the field and rarely takes false steps. He posted two interceptions while anchoring the back end of the defense. Miami’s route concepts need to account for him in play calling.
LB Sonny Styles and LB Arvell Reese
Styles leads the Buckeyes in tackles and brings speed in the alley, while Reese adds a hybrid edge that can wreck protection plans. Watch third downs; Ohio State can mug the A-gaps, then send Reese off the edge and force hot throws into tight coverage.
Miami won’t stop everyone. It can, however, pick its poison with purpose: win first down, tackle in space and force Ohio State to string together long drives without explosives. That plan starts with the names above.
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