Ohio State won't repeat as national champion in 2026
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Ohio State won't repeat as national champion in 2026 originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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College football is guaranteed to crown a new national champion in 2026, and that reality came true Wednesday night in Dallas.
The defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes saw its season end with a 24-14 loss to the Miami Hurricanes in the Cotton Bowl, marking the Buckeyes’ second straight defeat to close the year. Miami held OSU to a 14-0 first-half deficit and delivered the program’s deepest postseason run of the Playoff era, securing head coach Mario Cristobal’s first victory over Ohio State and Ryan Day.
The Hurricanes advanced to the Fiesta Bowl, where they will meet the winner between the Ole Miss Rebels and the Georgia Bulldogs, with a spot in the national championship game on the line. Regardless of that outcome, the title will change hands after Ohio State finished 12-2, unable to follow up an undefeated regular season with a postseason run.
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin threw for 287 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Miami countered with Carson Beck, who completed 19 of 26 passes for 138 yards and a score. Beck could potentially face his former team for a chance to play for the national title.
With the reigning champion eliminated, the sport now turns toward a new era and a new name atop college football next year.
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