Following Miami’s gritty 10–3 win over No. 7 Texas A&M on Dec. 20, a victory encapsulated by a game-sealing interception from freshman defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald, the Hurricanes earned a spot in the 90th edition of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic in Dallas, Texas.
Miami is set to face defending national champions No. 2 Ohio State, a program it has history against. The two teams have met five times, with only four officially counting in the record books. In 2010, Ohio State’s 36-24 win was vacated after a “Tattoogate” scandal that involved players trading memorabilia for tattoos.
Going back to the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, with the game tied 24–24 in overtime, Miami was called for a late and controversial defensive pass interference in the end zone that ultimately cost the Hurricanes a chance at back-to-back National Championships.