Miami spent Wednesday night doing the one thing the betting market never really saw coming: knocking off the defending national champion and sending Ohio State home early. The Canes got a big 24-14 win in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal in the Cotton Bowl. It was just as big in the futures market, where Miami's national title odds jumped from long-shot territory into the same neighborhood as the remaining favorites.
The Hurricanes, seeded No. 10 in the 12-team field, set the tone with an early touchdown pass from Carson Beck to Mark Fletcher Jr., then Keionte Scott jumped a screen and took it 72 yards for a pick-six. Miami carried a 14-0 lead and, when Ohio State finally made it interesting late, the Hurricanes answered with a field goal and a late rushing touchdown to close it out.
In the last 3-5 College football seasons whoever is in the Top 3 for the National Championship odds usually wins it all
— ðŸ‡ðŸ‡¹ (@NickSpacely) January 1, 2026
Miami went from
+2000 last week
+900 before the game
+450 now and 3rd
Miami Hurricanes move on to CFP semifinals
That is the kind of win that changes the conversation. DraftKings listed Miami at +425 to win the national championship, after the Hurricanes were +2200 entering the Ohio State game. Miami was also +2000 at theScore Bet heading into the quarterfinal, then jumped to +475 after the win.
The Hurricanes are now two wins from a title, not four, and they already own the kind of win that forces everybody to take them seriously (if they weren't already).
And Miami's formula has been promising. Beck did not have to be a superhero, but he was clean, completing 19 of 26 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown. Fletcher ran for 90 yards, and the defense made life miserable for Julian Sayin, who finished with 287 passing yards but threw two interceptions and took five sacks.
Miami's next step is a CFP semifinal in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8 against the winner of Georgia-Ole Miss.