We have officially made it to the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff! The first round didn’t yield any major upsets, though James Madison gave Oregon a run for their money, at least at times.
The quarterfinals should be a lot more exciting, as each of these teams has a legitimate chance of taking home the title if everything goes their way. We’ve got you covered with our favorite Underdog matchups from these contests, including this battle between Miami and Ohio State.
This game features the longest odds of the quarterfinals, with the Buckeyes being a 9.5-point favorite, but anything can happen in a game like this. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
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Julian Sayin’s sophomore season has been nothing short of exceptional. He’s 15th in the country in passing yards and led Ohio State to a 12-1 record during the regular season.
While he’s had some impressive games this year, including a 258-yard performance against Indiana in the Big 10 Championship, we’re not so sure he’ll find the same success against Miami.
For starters, they’re allowing just north of 200 passing yards per game this season, and Sayin has struggled against big-name defenses this year, as demonstrated by his 166-yard outing against Illinois. Sayin and the Buckeyes should still win this one, but we think he’s not necessarily going to be the reason they come away with the dub.
We’re fading both quarterbacks in this game. Miami’s pass defense is strong, but Ohio State’s is even stronger. They’re the No. 1 pass defense in the country, allowing just 133.8 yards per game through the air.
Carson Beck does have some experience, as he’s a senior in his third season as a full-time starter, which might make some people nervous to fade him, even against an elite defense. We’re not going to do that, believing it will be tough for both teams to have success in the passing game.
When Miami has needed a running back to come through in the clutch, Mark Fletcher Jr. has provided for them. He has plenty of massive games this season, perhaps none in a bigger spot than his Round 1 game with 172 yards against Texas A&M.
While we’re not projecting him to have quite that big of an outing, we wouldn’t be surprised if he had 60+ in this one, mainly due to the Buckeyes’ desire to stop the pass. With all of that said, we’re taking the over on his rushing yardage line.