ARLINGTON, Texas — Ohio State is playing in its third straight Cotton Bowl and second as part of the College Football Playoff.

The Buckeyes will face Miami, which is coming off a road win over Texas A&M in the first round. The winner will face either Georgia or Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl.

Our staff made game predictions based on DraftKings’ 9.5-point spread with an over/under point total of 40.5. Once again, we are betting Buckeye Talk tokens, starting with a bankroll of 100 and seeing who can grow their bankroll the most — or simply avoid losing it — over the course of the season.

Stephen Means

Ohio State 27, Miami 6

Miami has an elite front seven that has an ability to keep it in this game longer than maybe it should be. But how many times can the Hurricanes ask their defense to get stop after stop before that damn finally breaks because they don’t have the horses offensively to keep them off the field.

At some point, Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate and Bo Jackson are going to starting scoring touchdowns. I don’t think Miami has the ability to match that. This isn’t the Indiana game and Ryan Day as a play-caller in CFP games has already proven that 10 points isn’t enough to beat him.

The Buckeyes don’t need to score 40 points to win this game, but three touchdowns and a couple of field goals should surely get the job done.

Game pick: Ohio State -9.5 (8 Buckeye Talk Tokens)

Over/under: Under 40.5 (5 BTT)

Record: 12-1

Against the spread: 11-2-0

Over/under record: 6-7-0

Tokens left: 223

Stefan Krajisnik

Ohio State 27, Miami 6

Picture the Big Ten Championship Game, but instead of Ohio State failing to convert in the red zone, the Buckeyes score touchdowns. That how I envision the Cotton Bowl playing out.

Miami has a great defense, and it’s facing a great Ohio State offense. Ohio State has an elite defense, and it’s facing a good Miami offense. The combination of those descriptions tells me the Buckeyes can keep themselves at least an arm’s length away from the Hurricanes while the clock slowly ticks on an otherwise successful season for Miami.

With Day calling plays, having extra time to scheme an offense and getting his top two receivers back at 100%, I predict Ohio State’s offense to execute at a higher level than when we last saw it.

Game pick: Ohio State -9.5 (15 BTT)

Over/under: Under 40.5 (10 BTT)

Record: 12-1

Against the spread: 10-2-0

Over/under record: 8-5-0

Tokens left: 162

Andrew Gillis

Ohio State 24, Miami 10

Ohio State enters the College Football Playoff, once again, off a loss. But this year feels oh so different from last year.

The Buckeyes are in a far better place, but this time, they’ll face a Hurricanes team coming off a thrilling win over Texas A&M in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal. I think Miami enters this matchup as a confident bunch, believing it can knock off Ohio State.

But that will only matter for so long. Ohio State is deeper, more talented, and simply a better football team than Miami, and one with more experience, too. My expectation for the Cotton Bowl is that the Buckeyes slowly suffocate the Hurricanes with an elite defense in a game that, while may not be out of reach on the scoreboard, feels so with the way the evening plays out. With how talented Ohio State’s defense is, it’s hard to see Miami moving the ball with ease.

Ohio State marches on to the Fiesta Bowl with a two-touchdown win over Miami where it faces a decent test from a talented Hurricanes squad.

Game pick: Ohio State -9.5 (2 BTT)

Over/under: Under 40.5 (2 BTT)

Record: 11-2

Against the spread: 8-5-0

Over/under record: 7-6-0

Tokens left: 104

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