Ohio State plays in the Cotton Bowl as a No. 2 seed, facing the winner of Miami vs. Texas A&M.

Ohio State, the defending national champion, will play in the Cotton Bowl for the third consecutive year as a College Football Playoff quarterfinal on New Year’s Eve, facing either Miami or Texas A&M. The Buckeyes (12-1) earned a first-round bye after dropping to No. 2 in the final CFP rankings following a loss to Indiana in the Big Ten championship. Indiana, now ranked No. 1, earned the Big Ten’s playoff berth. Texas A&M and Miami, both receiving at-large bids, will meet on December 20 to determine the opponent. The Cotton Bowl will be Ohio State’s third appearance since 2017, with previous wins over USC and Texas A&M.