Country Star Riley Green Is Happy He Didn’t Get Famous Until His 30s — Here’s Why

Brett Carlsen/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Riley Green spoke about his rising fame during an appearance on the Like a Farmer podcast in mid-December 2025

• Green, 37, said he was unsure how he would have handled major success earlier in his life

• Maturity has helped Green navigate life in the spotlight
  

Riley Greenis grateful that fame didn't happen for him until later in life.

"I think if I would have had any type of success similar to this when I was in my early 20s, it [would have] been ugly," the "Worst Way" singer, 37, said during an appearance on theLike a Farmerpodcastin December.

"I think you get a bit mature and you can kinda step back from things a little easier as you get older," Green continued. "I was really fortunate that my success was really gradual."

Of his success, he summarized, "It keeps hitting a different level and a different gear."

As for internet rumors and speculation, Green said the gossip is often so "outlandish," that "it doesn't even bother me anymore."

Green also addressed his rise in public attention last year during an appearance onWestwood One'sCountry Nights with Bev Raineyshow, telling host Rainey, "I find out who I'm dating, weekly, on social media.""I'm rumored to have dated a lot of people but I kind of understand that. People always long for that Tim [McGraw] and Faith [Hill], Johnny and June [Cash], George [Jones] and Tammy [Wynette] thing," Green said, noting some of the things he reads about himself online can be "so outlandish that it keeps me humble."

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He specifically addressed speculation about his relationship with Ella Langley, the country artist he duets with on 2024's"You Look Like You Love Me."Langley also features on Green's "Don't Mind If I Do."

"Me and Ella have two giant songs together, and I think fans kind of want to believe that what you're singing about is real," Green said during the radio show. "I can comprehend people thinking that there's something going on."

Langley, 26, previously addressed the romance speculation, tellingTaste of Countryin September 2024, simply, "We're not dating. We're just good friends."

Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty

Earlier last year, Greenwas linked to another country singer,Megan Moroney, 28, by fans, though he shut down that speculation in March.

During an interview with theIn the Blindpodcast, Green said he was "pretty damn" single.

Read the original article onPeople

byAlex Forten

in

January 01, 2026

Country Star Riley Green Is Happy He Didn’t Get Famous Until His 30s — Here’s Why

Brett Carlsen/Getty NEED TO KNOW Riley Green spoke about his rising fame during an appearance on the Like a Farmer podcast in mid-Decemb...

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Charlie Hunnam Wondered If He Made a Mistake Playing Ed Gein in “Monster ”Before This Breakthrough Moment“ ”(Exclusive)

Charley Gallay/Getty;Courtesy Of Netflix

NEED TO KNOW

• Charlie Hunnam was worried he made a "mistake" before boarding Monster: The Ed Gein Story 

• The actor tells PEOPLE he was worried he signed up for "a horrible process" when agreeing to play the infamous murderer

• "I really started to get scared that maybe I'd made a mistake and this was just going to be impossibly bleak and dark and a horrible process," Hunnam says

Charlie Hunnamis getting candid about his mindset going into the role of Ed Gein.

TheMonster: The Ed Gein Storystar, 45, caught up with PEOPLE at Netflix's Tudum Theater in Hollywood on Nov. 10, and detailed why he initially thought he made a "mistake" in his decision to play the titular murderer and grave robber.

Hunnam, who previouslyrevealed his second thoughtsback in October when the series first hit the streamer, says he was initially worried he signed up for "a horrible process" when agreeing to play Gein.

"I mean, it got in my head…The most in my head. Before we started shooting, during the research period, everything that's been written about Ed have been these sort of sensationalist, grotesque litanies of just horror. And I really started to get scared that maybe I'd made a mistake and this was just going to be impossibly bleak and dark and a horrible process," Hunnam says. "And then there was a breakthrough."

That "breakthrough," Hunnam shares, came when he began to "really read" Gein's medical records. which "gave a less sensationalized depiction of who he was."

"It was just the brass facts of his mental illness, his struggles with isolation, his emotional abandonment from his mother. And I just started to see the human," Hunnam adds. "Because that's what we were really trying to do, is just find the human story within this, ask the question what creates a monster and why this man did the things that he did, and less interested in what he did, and really very interested in trying to answer the question why he did what he did."

Hunnam previously shared his hesitancy regarding the role of Gein — who was initially arrested in 1957 and died in 1984 — in an interview withEntertainment Weeklypublished on Oct. 6. At the time, he said that understanding he would be playing the murderer, widely known for exhuming human remains and using them as everyday items, sent him "into a full panic."

Gein's crimes are believed to have inspired several horror films, such asPsycho, The Texas Chainsaw MassacreandThe Silence of the Lambs.As for Hunnam, he revealed at the time that he doesn't "really like the horror genre," making the job "kind of a strange choice" for him.

"I just found myself saying yes, based, I would say like 99 percent of it, on just how much I liked Ryan," Hunnam said of series creatorRyan Murphy.

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Hunnam stars inMonsteralongsideTom Hollander,Laurie Metcalfand Suzanna Son, with Vicky Krieps,Addison Rae, and more filling out the cast. It marks the third installment of Murphy's anthology series, which previously explored the legacies ofJeffrey DahmerandLyle and Erik Menendez.

Courtesy Of Netflix

"I think Ryan does a very good job in the show of asking the question, 'Why do we tell these stories and what is the consequence of it?' I felt it was my job to truly try to understand this character and try to bring him to life," he says. "And I asked myself a lot, 'Why we do tell these stories and what is the function of them?' And I think in the history of the function of storytelling is to bring light to confusing and dark parts of the world, or to the human condition just writ large."

He adds that he hopes "nobody gets any ideas from watching Ed Gein" and that there wasn't "anything positive" in his actions. "He was just a truly disturbed and deeply sad character who never found any joy in his life," Hunnam says. "There was nothing positive that came for Ed or anybody that he came into contact with."

Monster: The Ed Gein Storyis available to stream in full on Netflix.

Read the original article onPeople

byAlex Forten

in

January 01, 2026

Charlie Hunnam Wondered If He Made a Mistake Playing Ed Gein in “Monster ”Before This Breakthrough Moment“ ”(Exclusive)

Charley Gallay/Getty;Courtesy Of Netflix NEED TO KNOW Charlie Hunnam was worried he made a "mistake" before boarding Monster: T...

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Pink Spends New Year’s Eve in the Hospital, Shares Photo with Bandage on Neck

Pink/Instagram; Dave Benett/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Pink posted a selfie in a hospital gown on New Year's Eve

• The Dec. 31 post detailed her reason for the hospital stay

• The singer also reflected on her year and the goals she is setting for 2026

Pinkgave her New Year's Eve wishes from a hospital bed.

The "Raise Your Glass" singer shared a selfie on Wednesday, Dec. 31, while donning a hospital gown, a large neck bandage, and a huge smile.

The smileyInstagrampost came with a contemplative caption about her 2025 and an explanation for her hospital visit.

The musician joked that she was not getting a facelift but rather "two new shiny discs in my neck." "Rock 'n' roll is a contact sport," she wrote, adding that her family was snowboarding while she was "by [her]self" in a hospital room.

"This year was a doozy for all of us and it ran the spectrum from absolutely devastating to mildly annoying," the "So What" popstar wrote. "In amongst all of that, there was so much beauty. And I got to wake up every day and get out of bed and go about my business. The business of loving my children and helping them to follow their dreams."

The mother of twodescribed having had to say goodbye to "incredibly important people" this year and having "realized dreams this year, as well as nightmares." But she vowed to "work this year to help preserve the choices of others to make for themselves and their families and this very pursuit of happiness" in 2026.

Juliette Lewiscommented in support of Pink, writing, "Thank you for this. 🙌 happy healing & happy new year."Kristin Chenowethechoed the sentiment and wrote, "Amen sister amen! ❤️🙌👏🔥"

Pink kept fans in the loop on her health journey in 2025.

Over the summer, the "Just Give Me a Reason" singer shared that she wasrecovering from a bacterial infectionin anInstagrampost on Aug. 31.

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She posted a photo resting on a couch, legs crossed and a wine glass in hand, while hooked up to an IV.

"When you go on vacation and have food and E. Coli decides to move into your gut, you kill it with friends and daughters and red wine and a vitamin IV concoction," she wrote. "This is all normal and everything is going well."

Read the original article onPeople

byAlex Forten

in

January 01, 2026

Pink Spends New Year’s Eve in the Hospital, Shares Photo with Bandage on Neck

Pink/Instagram; Dave Benett/Getty NEED TO KNOW Pink posted a selfie in a hospital gown on New Year's Eve The Dec. 31 post detailed he...

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Health subsidies expire, launching millions of Americans into 2026 with steep insurance hikes

NEW YORK (AP) —Enhanced tax creditsthat have helped reduce the cost of health insurance for the vast majority of Affordable Care Act enrollees expired overnight, cementing higher health costs formillions of Americansat the start of the new year.

Democrats forced a43-day government shutdownover the issue. Moderate Republicanscalled for a solutionto save their 2026 political aspirations. President Donald Trumpfloated a way out, only to back off after conservative backlash.

In the end, no one's efforts were enough to save the subsidies before their expiration date. A House vote expected in January could offer another chance, but success is far from guaranteed.

The change affects a diverse cross-section of Americans who don't get their health insurance from an employer and don't qualify for Medicaid or Medicare — a group that includes many self-employed workers, small business owners, farmers and ranchers.

It comes at the start of a high-stakes midterm election year, withaffordability— including the cost of health care — topping the list of voters' concerns.

"It really bothers me that the middle class has moved from a squeeze to a full suffocation, and they continue to just pile on and leave it up to us," said 37-year-old single mom Katelin Provost, whose health care costs are set to jump. "I'm incredibly disappointed that there hasn't been more action."

Some families grapple with insurance costs that are doubling, tripling or more

The expired subsidies were first given to Affordable Care Act enrollees in 2021 as a temporary measure to help Americans get through the COVID-19 pandemic. Democrats in power at the time extended them, moving the expiration date to the start of 2026.

With the expanded subsidies, some lower-income enrollees received health care with no premiums, and high earners paid no more than 8.5% of their income. Eligibility for middle-class earners was also expanded.

On average, the more than 20 million subsidized enrollees in the Affordable Care Act program are seeing their premium costs rise by 114% in 2026, according to an analysis by the health care research nonprofit KFF.

Those surging prices come alongside an overall increase in health costs in the U.S., which are further driving up out-of-pocket costs in many plans.

Some enrollees, like Salt Lake City freelance filmmaker and adjunct professor Stan Clawson, have absorbed the extra expense. Clawson said he was paying just under $350 a month for his premiums last year, a number that will jump to nearly $500 a month this year. It's a strain for the 49-year-old but one he's willing to take on because he needs health insurance as someone who lives with paralysis from a spinal cord injury.

Others, like Provost, are dealing with steeper hikes. The social worker's monthly premium payment is increasing from $85 a month to nearly $750.

Effects on enrollment remain to be seen

Health analysts have predicted the expiration of the subsidies will drive many of the 24 million total Affordable Care Act enrollees — especially younger and healthier Americans — to forgo health insurance coverage altogether.

Over time, that could make the program more expensive for the older, sicker population that remains.

Ananalysisconducted last September by the Urban Institute and Commonwealth Fund projected the higher premiums from expiring subsidies would prompt some 4.8 million Americans to drop coverage in 2026.

But with the window to select and change plans still ongoing until Jan. 15 in most states, the final effect on enrollment is yet to be determined.

Provost, the single mother, said she is holding out hope that Congress finds a way to revive the subsidies early in the year — but if not, she'll drop herself off the insurance and keep it only for her four-year-old daughter. She can't afford to pay for both of their coverage at the current price.

Months of discussion, but no relief yet

Last year, after Republicans cut more than $1 trillion in federal health care and food assistance with Trump's big tax and spending cuts bill, Democrats repeatedly called for the subsidies to be extended. But while some Republicans in power acknowledged the issue needed to be addressed, they refused to put it to a vote until late in the year.

In December, the Senate rejected two partisan health care bills — a Democratic pitch to extend the subsidies for three more years and a Republican alternative that would instead provide Americans with health savings accounts.

In the House, four centrist Republicans broke with GOP leadership and joined forces with Democrats toforce a votethat could come as soon as January on a three-year extension of the tax credits. But with the Senate already having rejected such a plan, it's unclear whether it could get enough momentum to pass.

Meanwhile, Americans whose premiums are skyrocketing say lawmakers don't understand what it's really like to struggle to get by as health costs ratchet up with no relief.

Many say they want the subsidies restored alongside broader reforms to make health care more affordable for all Americans.

"Both Republicans and Democrats have been saying for years, oh, we need to fix it. Then do it," said Chad Bruns, a 58-year-old Affordable Care Act enrollee in Wisconsin. "They need to get to the root cause, and no political party ever does that."

byAlex Forten

in

January 01, 2026

Health subsidies expire, launching millions of Americans into 2026 with steep insurance hikes

NEW YORK (AP) —Enhanced tax creditsthat have helped reduce the cost of health insurance for the vast majority of Affordab...

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Zohran Mamdani officially sworn in on a Quran full of symbolism

NEW YORK (AP) — Incoming MayorZohran Mamdanitook his midnight oath of office on a centuries-old Quran, marking the first time a mayor of New York City uses Islam's holy text to be sworn in and underscoring a series ofhistoric firstsfor the city.

The 34-year-old Democrat became mayor in along-closed subway stationbeneath City Hall, the first Muslim, first South Asian and first African-born person to hold that position.

These milestones — as well as the historical Quran — reflect the longstanding and vibrant Muslim residents of the nation's most populous city, according to a scholar who helped Mamdani's wife,Rama Duwaji, select one of the books.

Most of Mamdani's predecessors were sworn in on a Bible, although the oath to uphold the federal, state and city constitutions does not require the use of any religious text.

And while he has focused heavily on the issue of affordability during his campaign, Mamdani was outspoken about his Muslim faith. He frequently appeared at mosques across the five boroughs as hebuilt a base of supportthat included many first-time South Asian and Muslim voters.

A look at the three Qurans that Mamdani used

Two Qurans were to be used during the subway ceremony: his grandfather's Quran and a pocket-sized version that dates back to the late 18th or early 19th century. It is part of the collection at the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

That copy of the Quran symbolizes the diversity and reach of the city's Muslims, said Hiba Abid, the library's curator for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies.

"It's a small Quran, but it brings together elements of faith and identity in New York City history," Abid said.

For a subsequent swearing-in ceremony at City Hall on the first day of the year, Mamdani will use both his grandfather's and grandmother's Qurans. The campaign hasn't offered more details on those heirlooms.

One Quran's long journey to Mamdani's hand

The manuscript was acquired by Arturo Schomburg, a Black Puerto Rican historian whose collection documented the global contributions of people of African descent. While it is unclear how Schomburg came into possession of the Quran, scholars believe it reflected his interest in the historical relationship between Islam and Black cultures in the United States and across Africa.

Unlike ornate religious manuscripts associated with royalty or elites, the copy of the Quran that Mamdani will use is modest in design. It has a deep red binding with a simple floral medallion and is written in black and red ink. The script is plain and readable, suggesting it was created for everyday use rather than ceremonial display.

Those features indicate the manuscript was intended for ordinary readers, Abid said, a quality she described as central to its meaning.

"The importance of this Quran lies not in luxury, but in accessibility," she said.

Because the manuscript is undated and unsigned, scholars relied on its binding and script to estimate when it was produced, placing it sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century during the Ottoman period in a region that includes what is now Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan.

Abid said the manuscript's journey to New York mirrors Mamdani's own layered background. Mamdani is a South Asian New Yorker who was born in Uganda, while Duwaji is American-Syrian.

Identity and controversy

The meteoric rise of a Muslim democratic socialist also brought a surge of Islamophobic rhetoric, amplified bynational attentionon the race.

In anemotional speechdays before the election, Mamdani said the hostility had only strengthened his resolve to be visible about his faith.

"I will not change who I am, how I eat, or the faith that I'm proud to call my own," he said. "I will no longer look for myself in the shadows. I will find myself in the light."

The decision to use a Quran has drawn fresh criticism from some conservatives. U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama wrote on social media, "The enemy is inside the gates," in response to a news article about Mamdani's inauguration. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil-rights group, has designated Tuberville as an anti-Muslim extremist based on past statements.

Such backlash is not new. In 2006,Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, faced condemnation from conservatives after he chose to use a Quran for his ceremonial oath.

Following the inauguration, the Quran will go on public display at the New York Public Library. Abid said she hopes attention surrounding the ceremony — whether supportive or critical — will prompt more people to explore the library's collections documenting Islamic life in New York, ranging from early 20th century Armenian and Arabic music recorded in the city to firsthand accounts of Islamophobia after the Sept. 11 attacks.

"This manuscript was meant to be used by ordinary readers when it was produced," Abid said. "Today it lives in a public library where anyone can encounter it."

Associated Press writers Jake Offenhartz in New York and Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama, contributed.

byAlex Forten

in

January 01, 2026

Zohran Mamdani officially sworn in on a Quran full of symbolism

NEW YORK (AP) — Incoming MayorZohran Mamdanitook his midnight oath of office on a centuries-old Quran, marking the first ...

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Russia rings in new year with mass drone strike on Ukraine, Putin says he's confident of victory

KYIV, Ukraine —Russiarang in the new year by launching more than 200 drones atUkraine, whilePresident Vladimir Putinused his year-end address to rally support for his troops and to assure his nation of victory.

In Ukraine itself,President Volodymyr Zelenskyy'sDec. 31 address was defiant but also optimistic aboutthe frenetic shuttle diplomacy being brokered by the United States.

Zelenskyy said that Russia,whose officials are also in talks with the Americans, remains the central barrier to peace, with Putin unyielding in his maximalist demands.

"I would give anything in the world if, in this address, I could say that peace will also come in just a few minutes," Zelenskyy said just before the clock struck midnight. "Unfortunately, I cannot say that yet. But with a clear conscience, I — all of us — can say that Ukraine is truly doing everything for peace."

The Ukrainian leader recently returned froma meeting with President Donald Trumpin Florida on Sunday. Afterward, Zelenskyy said Trump had offered 15 years ofthe crucial "security guarantees"that he says are essential to stop Putin from attacking again. Ukraine had asked for 50 years, he said.

Hours before the new year's bells chimed, Trump's special envoySteve Witkoff posted on Xthat he had held a call with Zelenskyy, Ukrainian national security secretary Rustem Umerov and the national security advisers of Britain, France and Germany.

In his own post on X,Umerov saidSecretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner were also on the call.

Though Zelenskyy said that the "peace agreement is 90% ready," he suggested that the remaining 10% contained the thorniest issues preventing peace.

"Those are the 10% that will determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe, how people will live," he said. "Ten percent to save millions of lives. Ten percent of the determination needed for peace to work 100%. Ten percent of the unity and wisdom so desperately needed — Ukrainian, American, European, from the entire world. Ten percent to peace."

The Ukrainian leader charted what has been a roller-coaster year trying to retain the goodwill of Trump, a pivotal and changeable figure in the peace process. Zelenskyy said "it was not easy at all to achieve such a change in the tone of relations between Ukraine and the United States" after he clashed with Trump and Vice President JD Vance in anextraordinary White House meetingin February.

Trump has often shifted between appearing to favor Russia and then Ukraineduring these negotiations, and has at various points been criticized for freezing Ukraine and Europe out of the process.

"Without Ukraine, nothing will work. Ukraine has defended its right to have a voice," Zelenskyy said, adding later: "Ukraine is, in fact, the only shield that now separates Europe's comfortable way of life from the Russian world."

Hours after Zelenskyy spoke, Russia launched 205 drones — mostly Iran-designed Shaheds along with some Russian Gerbera drones — into Ukraine, according to the country's military. Air defense systems downed 176 of these, but 24 strikes were recorded at 15 locations, it said. There was also shelling right along the line of contact between Russia and Ukraine.

At least two people were killed and more than a dozen injured across the country, according to regional officials.

For its part, Ukraine launched a strike against Russia's Rosrezerv oil depot in the Yaroslavl region, the Security Service of Ukraine, the SBU, said in a statement. The SBU said this was the latest strike designed to "cut off the supply chains of Russian petroleum products with surgical precision, both abroad and for the troops attacking Ukraine."

Russia claimed this week thatUkraine had attempted to assassinate Putinwith a drone strike on his country residence, something that Ukraine denied and the CIA concluded was not true, a source with knowledge of the matter told NBC News.

In his own New Year's address, Putin said his country was striving "to bring joy and warmth" to those in need, as well as the "heroes" fighting in Ukraine. "I wish all our soldiers and commanders a happy new year! We believe in you and in our victory," he said.

Daryna Mayer reported from Kyiv and Alexander Smith from London.

byAlex Forten

in

January 01, 2026

Russia rings in new year with mass drone strike on Ukraine, Putin says he's confident of victory

KYIV, Ukraine —Russiarang in the new year by launching more than 200 drones atUkraine, whilePresident Vladimir Putinused ...

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Miami makes CFP title case after Cotton Bowl upset of Ohio State: 'This is our moment'

ARLINGTON, TX — Everyone in AT&T Stadium knew what Miami was going to do.

Leading No. 2 seed Ohio State 17-14 in the Cotton Bowl and taking over at their 30-yard line with 5:56 to play, the No. 10 seed Hurricanes had one mission: to run the ball down theBuckeyes' throat to milk the clock, deliver the knockout blow and send the defending national champions packing from theCollege Football Playoff.

"We all looked each other in the eyes," said senior center James Brockermeyer. "We said, 'This is our moment. Let's take over this game.'"

What unfolded over the ensuing five minutes of game clock tells the story of a team blossoming at the right time and a program that has reclaimed its place on the national stage after spending more than two decades lost in the wilderness.

Ten plays. Eight runs for 52 yards. A 19-yard gain to get things started by junior running back Mark Fletcher, who had a game-high 90 yards. Twenty-six yards from backup CharMar Brown, including the 5-yard score that provided the final exclamation pointon a 24-14 upset.

The whole thing can be boiled down like this: Ohio State knew what Miami wanted to do and couldn't do a single thing about it.

"It just shows that we're a team that will do what it takes to win a game and grind things out against a really, really good defense like that," Brockermeyer said. "They're a great team. But we've got a great team, too."

That's how Miami was built, in the trenches, by a coach in Mario Cristobal who knows no other way. From the depths of his five-win debut in 2022 and miserable moments such as a shocking debacle loss toGeorgia Techa year later, Cristobal has pieced together a team constructed to win hard-fought, physical games against the nation's best in postseason play.

"We keep getting better and better up front," Cristobal said. "When you play a team like that that's been the number one defense in the country the entire year, you have to. And you have to not only hit, but you've got to be willing to take the hits and keep coming, because that's what it's going to be."

Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths

This improvement was evident in an oftenugly 10-3 win against No. 7 seed Texas A&Min the opening round, when the Hurricanes overcame three missed field goals and made a late defensive stand to advance to Wednesday night's quarterfinals. But the Cotton Bowl casts Miami in a new light — as a team capable of winning the whole thing — and shows how adeptly Cristobal installed his formula.

"We live in a geographic area with a lot of high school talent, a lot of skill players. But he built it inside-out and supplanted that with great outside players, skill players," said Miami athletics director Dan Radakovich.

"That's the recipe that he thought about and actually put into action. He was able to pull that together. It wasn't like a zoom kind of thing. It was very progressive, with a great foundation."

Miami ran for 153 yards, the most Ohio State had allowed since the season opener against Texas, and averaged 4.1 yards per carry. The line gave up just two sacks and four tackles for loss. The Hurricanes set the tone by maintaining possession for more than 11 minutes in the first quarter and closed the Buckeyes out by holding the ball for almost nine minutes in the fourth.

Despite being roughly a touchdown underdog by kickoff, Miami looked better prepared for a line-of-scrimmage battle, especially when pushing piles forward after contact on the game-clinching drive and bullying an Ohio State team most expected to repeat.

"He definitely relayed that message that he wanted us to be the most physical team, the most violent team," Fletcher said of Cristobal. "And that's with anybody who we play, who we line up against, especially on the offensive side. But he was screaming that to the defense, too.  And, shoot, defense played violent. We got to play violent, too. That's how we match it."

Not to be outdone, Miami's defense sacked Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin five times; that matched Indiana's sack total from theBig Tenchampionship game after the Buckeyes had allowed just six sacks during their 12-0 start.

On both sides of the ball, the Hurricanes were able to carry the normally unflappable Buckeyes out of their comfort zone and into choppy waters on the line of scrimmage. Counting sacks, Ohio State managed just 45 rushing yards on 1.9 yards per carry. Going back to 2016, the Buckeyes' previous low for rushing yards in a game was 58 yards against Indiana earlier this month.

"Our players kept responding. Our players kept coming with their counterpunch," said Cristobal. "And those last couple of counterpunches, that big stop after they converted a third-and-18, and then the touchdown drive at the end, and then to finish it off with an interception, those are great counterpunches. Those are just really left hooks to the body and to the head."

Most importantly, the Hurricanes' defense was able to pressure Sayin with five and often four pass rushers. Clearly fazed, Sayin completed 62.8% of his attempts, his worst performance since the opener, and tossed multiple interceptions for just the second time.

In the game's biggest single moment, Sayin delivered a misguided pass to the flat in the direction of receiver Brandon Inniss in the second quarter that Miami defensive back Keionte Scott jumped the route and returned 72 yards for a touchdown.

"We got him early, we hit him early, and I think it forced him to throw that interception," said Mesidor.

"Not only that, but throughout the game he was a little uncomfortable. He really wasn't dropping back to throw deep bombs. He was throwing drag routes, finding little holes in the zone."

The turnaround is remarkable, and shouldn't be ignored. Four years ago, Miami finished short of bowl eligibility for the first time since 2007. Two months ago, the Hurricanes lost 26-20 to SMU and was essentially tossed out of the playoff mix, only to controversially leap ahead of Notre Dame in the playoff rankings on the heels of a four-game winning streak.

Everything is coming together, at long last, and Miami is reestablished as a true national player. If they can do this against Ohio State, the Hurricanes can do the same to every team still alive in this tournament — and maybe deliver the program's first national championship since 2001 and sixth overall.

"It's a great time to shine, at the end of the game," said Brockermeyer. "We're just a team that never folds and we never will."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Miami dominates Ohio State in Cotton Bowl to validate CFP title hopes

byAlex Forten

in

January 01, 2026

Miami makes CFP title case after Cotton Bowl upset of Ohio State: 'This is our moment'

ARLINGTON, TX — Everyone in AT&T Stadium knew what Miami was going to do. Leading No. 2 seed Ohio State 17-1...

Read More