Who will Ohio State play next? Updated schedule, opponent for 2025 College Football Playoff bracket
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Who will Ohio State play next? Updated schedule, opponent for 2025 College Football Playoff bracket originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Ohio State entered the College Football Playoff with its back against the wall a year ago and tore through the field of 12, winning its first national championship in a decade. This time around, the expectations are much higher.
It's title-or-bust for the Buckeyes, who have looked dominant throughout the year and were rarely challenged in the regular season.
While a home playoff game is what got the ball rolling for Ohio State last winter, Ryan Day's team is set to skip that step this season. The Buckeyes are ticketed for a first-round bye, meaning they will have to wait a bit longer to find out their first opponent.
Here's a complete guide to Ohio State's first College Football Playoff matchup and the full bracket.
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College Football Playoff bracket
Here is a look at the entire College Football Playoff bracket:
Who will Ohio State play next?
Ohio State is the No. 2 seed in the field, which means it earned a bye and will play the winner of the 7-10 matchup. That is officially No. 10 Miami, who defeated No. 7 Texas A&M 10-3 in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
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When does Ohio State play again?
With Ohio State receiving a first round bye, the Buckeyes won't play until Wednesday, Dec. 31 in the Cotton Bowl against the Hurricanes. That game will kick off the quarterfinals and begin at 7:30 p.m. ET.
College Football Playoff schedule 2025
| Date | Round | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
| Dec. 19 | First Round | No. 8 Oklahoma vs. No. 9 Alabama | 8 p.m. | ABC/ESPN |
| Dec. 20 | First Round | No. 7 Texas A&M vs. No. 10 Miami | Noon | ABC/ESPN |
| Dec. 20 | First Round | No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 11 Tulane | 3:30 p.m. | TNT/truTV |
| Dec. 20 | First Round | No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 12 James Madison | 7:30 p.m. | TNT/truTV |
| Dec. 31 | Quarterfinals | No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Miami | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Jan. 1 | Quarterfinals | No. 4 Texas Tech vs. TBD | 12 p.m. | ESPN |
| Jan. 1 | Quarterfinals | No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 9 Alabama | 4 p.m. | ESPN |
| Jan. 1 | Quarterfinals | No. 3 Georgia vs. TBD | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
| Jan. 8 | Semifinals | TBD vs. TBD | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Jan. 9 | Semifinals | TBD vs. TBD | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Jan. 19 | National Championship | TBD vs. TBD | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
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