An hour before 2025 ended, No. 2 Ohio State’s football dreams came to a crashing conclusion when it lost the Cotton Bowl 24-14 to the No. 9 Miami Hurricanes. The next day, when the clock struck zero inside the Superdome, the No. 6 Ole Miss sideline spilled onto the field, white and powder blue jerseys racing toward the Sugar Bowl trophy after its stunning win over No. 3 Georgia. Read more at thelantern.com thelantern.com/2026/01/does-a-first-round-bye-hurt-in-the-college-football-playoff-early-results-raise-questions 📸: Sandra Fu | Managing Editor Photo ✍️: Jack Diwik | Managing Editor Sports Canva made by: Jumana Salem | Social Media Editor