If Ohio State advances in the College Football Playoff, it will be in spite of being without a key starter, at least against Miami. Before kickoff at the Cotton Bowl, ESPN’s Pete Thamel confirmed what many expected as Ohio State starting right guard Tegra Tshabola will not play against Miami.
Instead, redshirt freshman Gabe VanSickle will be making his first career start against the Hurricanes. The College Football Playoff is not exactly an ideal first start, but the Buckeyes remain heavy favorites versus the Canes.
“Sources: Ohio State redshirt freshman Gabe VanSickle is expected to make his first career start tonight against Miami in the CFP,” Thamel detailed in a series of December 31, 2025, messages on X. “He’ll start at right guard, as veteran Tegra Tshabola is officially out. VanSickle will rotate with redshirt sophomore Johsua Padilla.
“VanSickle played 29 snaps at right guard against Indiana and has 210 career snaps. Padilla has played 221 career snaps, including 50 at right guard this season. Tshabola has 29 career starts for OSU.”
Here’s what you need to know as Ohio State takes on Miami.
Ohio State HC Ryan Day on New Starter vs. Miami: ‘(Gabe VanSickle) Should Have Confidence’
The news may now be official, but it appears Ohio State had been preparing for this reality for some time. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day expressed confidence in VanSickle, despite the offensive linemen having yet to make a start.
“This is a good example of Gabe, who has continually gotten better each week, and a big part of it is the training and what we do every day in practice, going against some very good players every day in practice,” Day said of VanSickle, per AtoZSports.com. “He should have confidence.
“Now, he’s going against an excellent front and a really good defense, but that’s what we expect this time of year in the playoffs. That’s why you have to trust your training every week,” Day added.
“… The guys have confidence he’s gonna do his job. How do you do that? You build trust with your teammates on how you go about your business, and Gabe has done that.”
Miami vs. Ohio State Winner Faces Ole Miss or Georgia in the Fiesta Bowl on January 8
There is a lot on the line as the winner of the Miami-Ohio State game will advance to the semifinals. The winner will face either Ole Miss or Georgia in the Fiesta Bowl on January 8.
Leading up to the game, Ohio State had been a 9.5-point favorite versus Miami. On gameday, this number dropped in favor of Miami as the Buckeyes are now 7.5-point favorites over the Canes, per FanDuel.
Miami’s Defense Is Led by Pass Rushers Rueben Bain Jr. & Akheem Mesidor
It will be worth watching to see if Miami’s touted pass rush can take advantage of VanSickle’s inexperience. The Canes will need it as Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin has been one of the best signal-callers in college football this season.
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal pointed to the competitive relationship between pass rushers Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor as a reason for the team’s success.
“So, the fact that those two guys have that kind of a relationship and that they get to compete against each other every day and against really good offensive linemen, it bodes well for us,” Cristobal said of the dynamic duo, per Sports Illustrated. “It helps to keep developing. And also, part of their legacy is leaving the high standard for the guys that are coming after them.”
Ohio State Dealt Unfortunate News vs. Miami at Cotton Bowl in College Football Playoff