The day is finally here. The preparation has concluded, the uniforms are in lockers, and the teams are ready.
The No. 10 Miami Hurricanes and No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes are about to kick off the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff with the Goodyear Cotton Bowl on New Year's Eve, and the Canes are nearly double-digit underdogs.
However, despite what the oddsmakers are saying, Miami undeniably has the chance to pull off the unexpected upset, especially with this Ohio State statistic.
Ohio State has a New Year's Eve curse
In program history, the Buckeyes have played in just two games on New Year's Eve: the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl CFP Semifinal against the Clemson Tigers and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl CFP Semifinal against the Georgia Bulldogs.
Yes, you read that correctly, Ohio State has never won a football game on New Year's Eve, the very day that the Buckeyes and the Hurricanes are set to play.
Ohio State has NEVER WON a College Football Playoff game on New Years Eve š¤Æ
ā Bleacher Report CFB (@BR_CFB) December 31, 2025
ā 31-0 L to Clemson (2016)
ā 42-41 L to Georgia (2022)
Can the Buckeyes re-write history tonight? š pic.twitter.com/uDW9UWFRRp
While the 2025 Buckeyes are arguably even better than the teams that made the College Football Playoffs in 2016 and 2022, not to mention they're the defending National Champions. However, streaks like this one tend to haunt teams once they take the field in big games.
On the other side of things, the Hurricanes have played three games on New Year's Eve, and they have walked away victorious from two of them.
Miami Hurricanes' history on New Year's Eve
- 27-10 win over Florida in the Peach Bowl, 12/31/2004
- 21-20 win over Nevada in the MPC Computers Bowl, 12/31/2006
- 17-33 loss to Notre Dame in the Sun Bowl, 12/31/2010
While the Canes' most recent appearance on the last day of the year resulted in a loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (who didn't even make the Playoff this season), at least Miami has won a game on New Year's Eve.
The 0-2 record doesn't mean it's a sure thing that the Hurricanes will pull off the upset, but boy, wouldn't it be sweet to put Ohio State and head coach Ryan Day in an even deeper hole.