South Florida Buckeyes looking forward to facing hometown Hurricanes in Cotton Bowl
Ohio State wide receiver Brandon Inniss normally texts with Miami Hurricanes running back Mark Fletcher Jr. on an almost daily basis. The two were stars together at Plantation American Heritage before going their separate ways for college.
“I haven’t talked to him this week,” Inniss said Monday, “for obvious reasons.”
Those reasons: The No. 10 Hurricanes (11-2) and the No. 2 Buckeyes (12-1) face off on Wednesday in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal in the Cotton Bowl. Kickoff from AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, in Arlington, Texas, is set for 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN.
For Inniss and a few of his Ohio State teammates, this playoff matchup has a personal touch to it, considering they’re going against their hometown team. Inniss is one of four Buckeyes — along with star receiver Jeremiah Smith (Miami Gardens native, Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna alumnus), defensive lineman Kenyatta Jackson Jr. (Miami Gardens native, Chaminade-Madonna alumnus) and running back CJ Donaldson (Miami native, Gulliver Prep alumnus) — who hail from South Florida.
“It’s amazing,” Inniss said. “I’m getting to go against some guys again that I played with and against my whole life on a bigger stage — in college football, on one of the biggest stages. It’s a blessing. I’m not gonna take the opportunity lightly. The emotions have been great, but I’ve gotta play with emotion, not let emotion play with me in this game. I’m feeling good out there, and it’s gonna be a great opportunity.”
Smith is the star of the group — and the one Miami arguably had the best chance to lure in. He went to the wire on signing day choosing between Ohio State and Miami and ultimately chose the Buckeyes.
“It was really close,” Smith said. “That night, I had some thoughts about it. Then I woke up in the morning and I really had some good thoughts about it. After I took my midterm exam, I called my agent, called my dad, and just was thinking about staying home. Had some tough conversations with my dad, uncle, agent, and we felt like the best decision for me was going to Ohio State. That’s what I went with.”
It has paid off.
Smith has lived up to his hype from his high school days. Entering the Cotton Bowl, he has amassed 156 catches for 2,401 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns during his first two seasons with the Buckeyes and won a national championship as a freshman.
It comes as little surprise to those who played with him.
“Seeing him in practice, and then seeing him do what he does in games and stuff like that,” said Jackson, his teammate at Chaminade-Madonna. “I mean, I didn’t think it was gonna be this big. But, I mean, man, I had seen the vision.”
Jackson, meanwhile, has put together a breakout senior year to cap his college career. He has 11 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and two pass deflections entering the Cotton Bowl.
Inniss in his career has 47 catches for 471 yards and five touchdowns. The bulk of that has come this season — 32 catches for 237 yards and three touchdowns.
And Donaldson has a team-leading 10 rushing touchdowns this season while playing as part of Ohio State’s running back rotation behind freshman Bo Jackson (1,035 rushing yards).
“We’re family,” Jackson said. “We grew up together pretty much. And I mean, just a blessing to see us come from where we came from, and now we’re here.”
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