Ohio State lined up at Miami's 22‑yard line in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl, but a 72‑yard pick‑six by Keionte Scott gave Miami a 14‑0 lead. The Buckeyes never recovered, losing 24‑14 as Miami’s long, clock‑eating drives stifled Ohio State’s comeback. The game illustrated broader trends: FBS teams averaged 2.24 points per drive in 2025, the highest in a decade, yet overall scoring fell nearly 8% from 2016 levels because teams now take 7% more time between plays and run 11% fewer drives per game.

Clock rule changes, longer seasons, slower tempo, and rising fourth‑down success have combined to produce longer, slower drives, reducing opportunities for comebacks. Coaches such as Ohio State’s Ryan Day, Texas’ Steve Sarkisian, Miami’s Mario Cristobal, Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea, Nebraska’s Matt Rhule, and former South Florida coach Alex Golesh note the shift toward an NFL‑style pace, emphasizing efficiency over sheer play count. As the 2026 season approaches, analysts urge teams to study sequencing, timeout usage, and fourth‑down decisions to adapt to the evolving game flow.